Ken Barker, CEO of Naturally Advanced Technologies announced yesterday at the Texworld 2011 Conference in New York that the company is prepared to begin shipping initial orders of Crailar Flax Fiber from its Kingstree, South Carolina facility as early as March of this year. The company says it has developed the capacity to rapidly increase production thereafter to meet the demands of its development partners and to respond to increasing interest from new customers in the denim, workwear, home furnishings and knitwear markets.

"We are fortunate to have flax fibre harvested from previous seasons available in our warehouse, which allows us to begin production immediately," Barker said. "Additionally, our Crailar technology unlocks the potential of flax straw harvested from the oilseed industry that can potentially be processed into yarn suitable for hosiery, denim, knitwear and home furnishings. Last year's harvest produced an exceptionally high yield, giving us the ability to increase production very quickly."

NAT announced on Tuesday that it had entered into growing trials with Hanesbrands and the USDA-ARS, further developing the company's agronomic know-how and its ability to produce fibre capable of being spun into finer-gauge yarns suitable for undergarments, shirting and finer-knit garments. NAT says these trials will enable it to move to an unprecedented level of flax-fibre refinement that it expects to revolutionize the garment and textile industries.

"The fibre industry is significant in size and complexity," Barker said. "Developing flax strains capable of accessing all sectors of the industry is critical for our continued growth. Our research project has already resulted in 200 acres of flax being planted in the Kingstree region this past winter, which will be ready for harvesting this spring, adding to our production capabilities in the upcoming year."

NAT announced in November of last year that it had concluded all of its trials with its commercialization partners, and as a result had received a short-term flax fibre supply agreement from Hanesbrands. NAT expects to complete commercialization agreements shortly.