CRAiLAR Flax Fiber pre-production trial completed

The fiber is destined to go to CRAiLAR's partner brands, including Georgia-Pacific for formed materials, Levi Strauss and Company for use in additional production trials for apparel products, and for the balance of the spring 2013 retail introduction announced last month.

NAT and Georgia-Pacific announced a three-year purchasing agreement in September 2011 after a successful evaluation period of less than six months. The partnership has since identified significant product performance advancements.

NAT remains in development Levi's, and the delivered CRAiLAR Flax Fiber is expected to be used in a trial that would typically precede a large-scale production run for retail. The amount of fiber delivered could yield as many as 50,000 units of a regular Levi's product.

"This is a validating step for CRAiLAR as we demonstrate the ability of our technology to scale without risk, and as we finalize the completion of our full scale production facility in Pamplico, S.C. Most importantly, this is a key milestone as we look to expand finished products available at retail, and industries within which consumers will soon be experiencing CRAiLAR Flax Fiber," said Ken Barker, CEO of NAT.

"We are thrilled to be providing a new, sustainable natural fiber that allows for innovation in partnership with global brands, and that aligns with each of their company-wide sustainability initiatives."

Each partner brand determines the timing of their CRAiLAR-related product introductions internally and has not made public statements about retail plans.

Naturally Advanced Technologies Inc., through its wholly owned subsidiary, CRAiLAR Fiber Technologies Inc., has developed proprietary technologies for production of bast fibers, cellulose pulp, and their resulting by-products in collaboration with Canada's National Research Council.

Naturally Advanced Technologies Inc