Counting on Corn: The Next Wave of Comfort

MINNEAPOLIS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Oct. 20, 2003–Consumers will soon be wrapping themselves in something without equal, a soft, warm and luxurious new blanket made from corn grown in the fields of America’s heartland.

Just in time for fall weather and the holidays, Faribault Mills will be the first company in the world to unveil soft, comfortable, premium woven blankets made from Ingeo(TM) fibers. Derived from the simple plant sugars found in ordinary field corn, these new manmade fibers help create blankets that offer the warmth, comfort and tradition that have made Faribault America’s premier manufacturer of fine woolen blankets and throws.

The new blankets will debut in several colors and styles as part of two collections. Consumers will have their choice between blankets made with 100 percent Ingeo fibers or those that combine Ingeo fibers and high-end merino wool. The blankets are available online at: www.ingeoblankets.com or by visiting or calling Faribault Mills in Faribault, Minn., 1-800-448-9665.

“Consumers can literally wrap themselves in the comfort of corn,” said Michael Harris, president, Faribault Mills. “Since our company’s inception in the 1800s, we have prided ourselves in making premium woolen blankets. Now, we add the benefits of a natural-based manmade fiber to make our blankets even better. Ingeo fibers not only help make a lavish blanket, but their raw material, American corn, can be re-grown each year.”

The corn’s natural sugars are processed to create a material that can then be spun into a natural-based fiber called Ingeo fiber. The fibers provide the same performance of traditional synthetic fibers but with the additional benefit of being derived from nature.

“Faribault has taken Ingeo fibers, woven it together with wool and made a blanket that is the cream of the crop,” said Joe Raffo, commercial manager, Cargill Dow. “We’re bringing the warmth and comfort of rural America into the home and giving families a reason to count on corn this winter to help keep them warm and lessen the impact on the Earth for future generations.”

As the first company to launch a product made with Ingeo branded fibers to market in North America, Faribault Mills has fashioned the first opportunity for consumers to wrap themselves in a product that will help reduce our impact on the Earth. The blankets require 20 percent to 50 percent less fossil fuels to produce, resulting in significantly less CO2 emissions.

Faribault Woolen Mills Company was founded in 1865 in the sleepy farming community of Faribault, Minn. by German immigrant and craftsman Carl H. Klemer, a visionary entrepreneur. Faribault Woolen Mill is now poised on the cutting edge of expansion and continued success for the new millennium. Embracing a proud heritage of expert craftsmanship, Faribault continues its position as an industry leader, introducing innovative new products, colors, and styles, while steadfastly maintaining its long heritage of quality. For more information on Faribault Mills, please visit our Web site at www.faribaultmills.com.

Ingeo fiber is a new brand concept based on the principles of sustainability – economic viability, social responsibility and environmental soundness. It represents the world’s first man-made fiber derived from 100 percent annually renewable resources. The process to make Ingeo fiber is based on the fermentation of simple plant sugars to create a proprietary polymer that can then be spun into a fiber. Ingeo fiber is ideally suited for a range of textile products and applications where it competes with traditional fibers on a price and performance basis. For more information on Ingeo fiber, please visit our Web site at www.ingeofibers.com.

(TM) Ingeo and the Ingeo logo are trademarks of Cargill Dow LLC

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