Whats New with Fruit of the Loom^®

At Fruit of the Loom our mission is to Make a positive impact to the quality of life of all the people whose lives are touched by the production and consumption of our products. Below you will find the most current news and updates on Fruit of the Loom. Click the photo or video icons to view media.

• Our Commitment to Sustainability

  Take a moment to watch a quick video detailing our commitment to sustainabilty.

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• Sonoco Recycling Names Fruit of the Loom a Sonoco Sustainability Star Award Winner

  Sonoco Recycling, Inc., one of the largest packaging recyclers in North America, announced recently that it has awarded Fruit of the Loom's Palmetto Distribution Center, located in Summerville, S.C., with a gold-tier Sonoco Sustainability Star Award for going landfill free. Plant Manager Jay Medlin challenged his team to strive for this high goal, calling on every employee in the facility help attain it. In awarding Gold-Star status, Sonoco recognizes that Fruit of the Loom has demonstrated a strong commitment to preserving natural resources, focusing on sustainability, and has achieved at least 99 percent landfill diversion.

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• Fruit of the Loom Vice President receives Patriot Award

  Stuart McNaughton, Vice President of Manufacturing at Fruit of the Loom, was recently honored with a Patriot Award in recognition of his extraordinary support of an employee serving in the Kentucky National Guard. McNaughton was nominated by Roger Blair, an employee who completed a six-month tour of duty to Iraq in December of 2011. Upon Blair’s return, he was welcomed back to his job at Fruit of the Loom with McNaughton’s support. The Kentucky committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve created the award to publicly recognize companies and individuals who provide outstanding support to Guardsmen and women who have answered the nation’s call to serve.

• Fruit of the Loom receives 2011 Spirit United Award

  Fruit of the Loom, Inc. was recently honored by the United Way of Southern Kentucky as its 2011 Spirit United Award recipient. The honor is bestowed upon one organization each year that sets itself apart by embodying the Live United spirit with continued support and enthusiasm for United Way. Throughout 2011, the employees at Fruit of the Loom contributed through donations of money, holding food and clothing drives, as well as participating in multiple other fund raising events. A month never went by without employees offering their support to the United Way. George Fields, Sr. VP of Human Resources at Fruit of the Loom, said he is pleased to witness the hard work employee volunteers have put into helping lead the effort to support the United Way and thanks everyone for their participation and donations. United Way of Southern Kentucky is focused on critical issues including poverty, literacy, personal abuse, substance abuse, youth development, senior services, and physical and developmental disabilities. Fruit of the Loom is proud to support this organization.

  

• Fruit of the Loom donates surgery room in Honduran Hospital

  Fruit of the Loom’s Central America division recently donated supplies and equipment valuing almost $21,000 to renovate a room in the Mario C. Rivas Hospital in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. The donation was made in an effort to contribute to the health of the Honduran People and as part of a mutual agreement that the hospital staff will continue to participate in Health Fairs held in Fruit of the Loom facilities for employees. The room, which has been named the Fruit of the Loom room, has been transformed into a location for ER doctors to perform minor surgeries, relieving the load on other hospital facilities and allowing doctors to provide better, faster care to patients. Fruit of the Loom employees celebrated the grand opening of the room with a ribbon cutting, at which the hospital presented Fruit of the Loom's Corporate Social Responsibility Manager, Nadia Morales, with a recognition award. Video used with permission from the Department of Communications and Marketing within the Honduran Manufacturer's Association.

• Blankenship elected to Fair Labor Board

  Russell Athletic, a division of Fruit of the Loom, Inc., is proud to announce Stan Blankenship, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility, has been elected to the Board of Directors of the Fair Labor Association (FLA) for calendar year 2012.

  "Fruit of the Loom and Russell Athletic are proud to be associated with the FLA," said Anderson Hostetler, Fruit of the Loom's Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility.

  "Through this partnership, our companies have made a commitment to provide utmost accountability and transparency throughout our supply chain," Hostetler said. "We are pleased to comply with the high labor standards set by the FLA's Code of Conduct."

  To date, Russell Athletic is one of only 14 companies worldwide that have reached the FLA's labor compliance accreditation status.

  In 2011, the company completed a three-year process of becoming an accredited participating company within the FLA. Through this achievement, Russell Athletic, under the umbrella of Fruit of the Loom, solidified its goal of aligning its workplace compliance program with FLA obligations and made clear its commitment to uphold the FLA workplace Code of Conduct in each facility throughout its supply chain.

  Founded during the Clinton Administration, the FLA works collaboratively to improve working conditions in factories around the world. Through the organization, universities, civil societies and socially-responsible companies have come together to improve the lives of millions of workers globally. A 19-member Board of Directors serves as the FLA's policy-making body and is comprised of an independent Chair, as well as equal representation from the FLA's three constituent caucuses: businesses, colleges and universities, and civil society organizations.

  Fruit of the Loom will host the FLA's summer board meeting in Bowling Green, Ky. on June 19 and 20.

• Fruit of the Loom supports My New Red Shoes

  Fruit of the Loom recently became a supporter of My New Red Shoes, an organization that helps homeless and low-income children look and feel confident as they start the school year by providing them with new clothing and shoes. According to the organization, by providing the gift of confidence for the start of the school year, "children can go to school with their heads held high and walk with confidence." Fruit of the Loom is honored to be a part of that confidence.

• Russell Athletic supports local high school football

  Russell Athletic, a division of Fruit of the Loom, has agreed to serve as the title sponsor for the Commonwealth Gridiron Bowl through 2014. The Gridiron Bowl, which serves as the championship playoff series for Kentucky High School Football, is held on the campus of Western Kentucky University (WKU) in Bowling Green. "This partnership allows us to tie in Kentucky high school athletics, WKU and the City of Bowling Green to help create a memorable experience ... for many years to come," said Gary Barfield, Executive Vice President of Russell.

  

• Fruit of the Loom Central America is recognized by Fundahrse

  For the third year in a row, Fruit of the Loom has been recognized as a socially responsible company ( ESR) by Fundahrse, the Honduran foundation for corporate social responsibility. Due to its ethical vision and focus on employee well being, Fruit of the Loom’s facilities in Honduras have shined as a model of community support. "We feel proud of the quality of our people and the numerous activities we perform," the company stated in a Fundahrse publication. "Our corporate volunteers are our fundamental pillar." Employees of Fruit of the Loom Central America have made an effort to excel in bettering their communities by educating their partners in socially-responsible behavior, organizing health fairs, executing after-school programs, implementing environmental initiatives and being dedicated to school sponsorships. Fundahrse, which received its legal status in 2004, works as an agent of change in the region with a goal of promoting economic prosperity, social development, well being, labor fairness and respect for the environment.

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• Fruit of the Loom is helping kids develop entrepreneurial skills

  Fruit of the Loom Central America recently completed a Junior Achievement pilot program with students at School Pedro Nufio, El Calan Villanueva in Honduras. Each class participated one hour a week for six to eight weeks learning from Fruit of the Loom volunteers about their individual roles in their community, the resources available to them and how to run a small business. The children were able to apply this knowledge to make and sell their own products at the completion of the program. In addition, Fruit of the Loom employees and the children developed bonds that will impact both groups for a lifetime.

  

• Russell Athletic puts Family First

  Russell Athletic, a division of Fruit of the Loom, partnered with Family First by becoming a Family Foundation Sponsor of its All Pro Dad, iMom and Family Minute Programs. All Pro Dad, an innovative program helping men to be better fathers, reaches almost 80,000 fathers each day, inspiring and equipping them to be actively involved in their children's lives by utilizing a network of 60 NFL spokesmen, multiple NFL seminars, All Pro Dad Days, and Play of the Day emails to learn and share insightful fatherhood resources. iMOM is the newest Family First program and has a unique focus to equip mothers with information, ideas and encouragement that they can use to positively impact their children. As a sponsor of these programs, Russell Athletic emphasizes its commitment to make a positive impact on the quality of life of the people whose lives are touched by its products.

• Russell Athletic recognizes High School teams triumphing over adversity

  On Jan. 3, Russell Athletic will award the first annual "Fight Like Dylan Award," a $ 50,000 uniform and equipment grant, honoring the late Dylan Rebeor of Columbia, TN, who lost his battle with colon cancer at the age of 16 on Dec. 3, 2010. Dylan was a wide receiver on Columbia Central High School’s football team, but died just hours before his team won their first state championship in 58 years. Reflective of Dylan’s character and consideration of others, rather than asking the Make-A-Wish Foundation for a trip to Hawaii, or the opportunity to meet his favorite athlete, Dylan’s final, selfless desire was for his beloved team to receive brand new uniforms and equipment for the 2011 season. The grant will be awarded at the 2012 Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl. To learn more, please visit www.facebook.com/russellathletic.

  

• Russell Athletic is committed to changing lives

  The Hawks of the Connecticut Juvenile Training School (CJTS) have something new to be proud of. Russell Athletic, a division of Fruit of the Loom, donated a complete set of football uniforms for the Hawks Football team to wear during the 2011 school year. Coach Tom DeFilippo expressed thanks to Russell Athletic for playing a big role in the success of the team. “You have helped to change the lives of many young men,” he said. According to the state of Connecticut’s website, “CJTS is the state’s only secure treatment facility for boys ages 12-17 who are committed delinquents.” [The school] strives to fulfill the intent of the legislature in order to improve the lives of children, youth, families and community members, it says. Russell Athletic is proud to partner with the State of Connecticut in working toward this goal.

  

• Fruit of the Loom is committed to its community

  Fruit of the Loom, Inc. held a Golf Tournament in Bowling Green on September 10 to raise money in support of United Way of Southern Kentucky. In its twelfth year, the annual tournament surpassed previous fundraising efforts, donating $ 23,160 to the local chapter.

  "Fruit of the Loom sets the standard for what it means to demonstrate commitment to our community,” said United Way of Southern Kentucky’s president, Doug Eberhart. “Fruit of the Loom goes above and beyond to help make Southern Kentucky a better place to live and work." United Way of Southern Kentucky is a local, independent, non-profit organization that works to identify and address the issues that matter most, change conditions and improve lives within its community. United Way is focused on critical issues including poverty, literacy, personal abuse, substance abuse, youth development, senior services, and physical and developmental disabilities.

  

• Jerzees Nuevo Dia Collective Bargaining Agreement

  "I am very pleased that we have successfully completed collective bargaining with the SITRAJERZEESND union and the CGT labor federation of Honduras. I believe the agreement reflects a positive outcome for both the company and our associates at Jerzees Nuevo Dia that positions us for long-term success. Of equal importance, I believe the bargaining process has served to further develop the goodwill between labor and management at the plant. I want to specifically note the important role that the Oversight Committee played in helping us reach an agreement. It is my hope that the success of the relationship we are building with the union at Jerzees Neuvo Dia, with the ongoing guidance of the Oversight Committee, will serve as a model for improving labor relations in Honduras going forward."

  Rick Medlin
  President and CEO
  Fruit of the Loom, Inc.
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• Registration of the Collective Bargaining Agreement

  The following photograph was taken on May 31, 2011 at the official registration of the Collective Bargaining Agreement with the Minister of Labor's office in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

  Included from left to right are: Felipe Jones - Human Resource Manager at Jerzees Nuevo Dia, Felicito Avila - Honduran Minister of Labor and Social Security, and Moises Montoya - SITRAJERZEESND Union President.

  

• Fruit of the Loom supports local education

  Fruit of the Loom recently participated in Newspapers for Education by becoming a sponsor of the journalism class at Warren East High School in Bowling Green, Ky. The program provides copies of the Bowling Green Daily News to the class each week and was kicked off by a visit to the class from Anderson Hostetler, Fruit of the Loom’s Vice President of Education. Casey Tabor, teacher-sponsor of the student newspaper, said having copies of the local publication has helped develop the students’ writing abilities by allowing them to regularly read stories published by experienced journalists.

  

• Fruit of the Loom joins manufacturing partner in rebuilding of home

  Vanity Fair Brands, a division of Fruit of the Loom, is proud to partner with factories who share our vision to responsibly add value to the communities in which we operate. Recently, the home of an employee at the Sri Lankan factory Bratex (Pvt) Ltd, a manufacturing partner with Vanity Fair Brands for over 30 years, burned down. Factory employees, staff, and management quickly responded by making personal contributions to aid in the rebuilding of the home and donations of clothing and school supplies to her children. Vanity Fair Brands Vice President of Sourcing and Manufacturing Wesley Gibson, who was in country at the time, also assisted in the funding needed to rebuild. The partnership was celebrated with a dedication ceremony at the home in the Gampaha District.

  

• Russell Athletic supports our troops

  Russell Athletic, a division of Fruit of the Loom, recently partnered with Army Capt. Cody Buettgenback to provide football jerseys to 139 soldiers stationed in Afghanistan. Members of the 402nd Military Police Battalion, Task Force Cornhusker, based in Omaha, Nebraska, the soldiers are die-hard Cornhuskers fans who have been deployed since January 2011. In appreciation for their dedicated service, Capt. Buettgenback and the University of Nebraska will honor the battalion by showing a short video clip of the troops wearing the jerseys on Nov. 5 when the Huskers take on Northwestern University at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln.

  

• Fruit of the Loom Central America

  Andrés Ayala and Lila Mercedes Doratt participated in a 4th of July celebration at the U.S. Embassy in El Salvador to showcase Fruit of the Loom's corporate social responsibility efforts in the area. This is the second year Fruit of the Loom has been represented at this event and used the forum to highlight the company's ongoing efforts to improve the overall health and well-being of Fruit of the Loom employees in Central America with both social and green initiatives. Fruit of the Loom is the largest private employer in El Salvador.

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• El Salvador - Volunteer Programs

  As part of our Corporate stewardship and CSR programs in El Salvador, Fruit of the Loom associates are involved in many local voluntary programs throughout the communities where we perform manufacturing operations. The following are just a few examples of the CSR work being performed by our associates in El Salvador.

  At the El Bosque School, Fruit of the Loom associates installed windows and painted the school.

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  At the Culture House, volunteers repaired the electrical system, painted the interior and exterior and held craft workshops for the children.

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  At the El Portezuelo School, volunteers cleaned the facilities, improved the green area and built a perimeter wall using recycled bottles.

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  At the Arboledas School, volunteers built a roof, installed roof gutters and hosted an event for the school children.

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• Toys for Tots Donation

  Continuing our ongoing support with the Toys for Tots program in 2011, Fruit of the Loom recently donated over 1000 Spalding footballs to the Davidson County (Tennessee) Sheriff's Office in the Greater Nashville area. The Sheriff's department partners with the U.S. Marine Corps to distribute these Spalding balls to children in the local Nashville communities.

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• Red Cross Disaster Response Dontation - June 23, 2011

  Fruit of the Loom, Inc. has made a substantial donation to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief to aid Kentucky residents impacted by the recent severe weather, flooding and tornadoes.

  "All of us at Fruit of the Loom are united in this opportunity to meet the critical needs of affected families and communities throughout our state," commented George Fields, senior vice president, human resources for Fruit of the Loom. "The need has been great, and we are pleased to help these individuals and families rebuild their lives".

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• Second Annual Desoto Facility Health Fair - June 2011

  On June 11, the DeSoto facility conducted its Second Annual Health Fair with participation from local general doctors and specialists, as well as the cooperation of many volunteers from our staff and administrative personnel.

  Support for this outreach program included assistance from the Social Security Departments of Choloma and San Pedro Sula, Hospital Mario Catarino Rivas, Eye Fraternity Hospital(Lions Club SPS) and the Office of the First Lady of the Republic.

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• Fruit of the Loom helps coordinate and distribute donations of shoes and backpacks to the school children of Pedro Nufio of Calan, Villanueva.

  On June 7, in a joint effort with the Office of the First Lady of Honduras, Fruit of the Loom helped to coordinate and distribute donations of shoes and back packs to the school children of Pedro Nufio of Calan, Villanueva. This school is located in the community of a Company facility.

  A fifth grader at the school wrote this thank you letter to one of our associates, please note the English translation:

  "Mr. Mario thank you for everything you have given us and your coworker too Nadia and all your friends also. In the name of all my fellow students we thank you but very very much. Thank you also for helping the teacher Ms. Genoveva Boquin Perla and for bringing us shoes for all the children in school.

  Thank you"

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• Relay for Life Fundraising Efforts - Fruit of the Loom Team Reaches our Goal!

  Over the past two and one half months, the Fruit of the Loom Relay for Life Team has worked very hard in fundraising efforts for the American Cancer Society Relay for Life. We have conducted a variety of fundraising efforts which included a Hot Dog/Hamburger cookout, two Breakfasts, Salad Bars, Bake Sales and several raffles. Some of the raffle winners include: Jennifer Walden , Easter basket: Sherry Phillips, cake raffle; Stewart McNaughton, basketball; Dale Halliwell, baseball glove; and John Sewell, basketball table and sporting goods.

  Due to these efforts, and the generosity of all employees, the Team raised over $7500.00, which is $2500.00 over our original goal of $5,000.00! Great Job!

  On June 3rd, Fruit of the Loom participated in the Warren County Relay for Life event which was held at the Bowling Green High School. The Team walked the track along with special guests – the "Fruit Guys". This was a huge hit among all participants at the event! Fruit of the Loom won the coveted "Spirit Award"!

  Again, a very special thanks to all employees for participating in the event and to those who donated money and participated in the various fundraising efforts by bringing food, helping serve, and especially those who made purchases during these events!

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• Camargo Reforestation Campaign

  Russell is known for being a socially responsible company. In their ongoing efforts in conservation, Russell began work on the Camargo Reforestation Campaign. The goal of the campaign is to plant trees and plants in Camargo neighborhoods while providing ecology education for families that receive the trees. Over the course of the campaign Russell donated 150 trees, formed the Russell Ecology Committee, and built green houses from recycled materials. Russell is committed to the conservation and of the environment.

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