MONTRÉAL, QUÉBEC–(Marketwired – Oct. 27, 2016) – Gildan Activewear Inc. (TSX:GIL)(NYSE:GIL) announced today that it is donating $50,000 to assist with the relief efforts in Haiti following Hurricane Matthew. The funds will be distributed equally between two organizations – UNICEF and Americares, as each focuses its efforts on different areas of intervention. Hurricane Matthew struck Haiti earlier this month as a category four hurricane, resulting in extensive flooding and mudslides, damage to roads and infrastructure, and electricity and water shortages.
“Fortunately, none of our Gildan employees or the employees at our contractors’ facilities in the Port-au-Prince area were directly impacted by the storm,” said Freddy Barrantes, Gildan Country Manager, Caribbean Bassin. “Nevertheless, having had a presence in Haiti for more than 15 years, we wanted to assist in meeting the needs of the affected communities.”
Gildan has also donated food and water kits to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and continues to monitor the situation in the affected areas.
About Gildan
Gildan is a leading manufacturer and marketer of quality branded basic family apparel, including T-shirts, fleece, sport shirts, underwear, socks, hosiery, and shapewear. The Company sells its products under a diversified portfolio of company-owned brands, including the Gildan®, Gold Toe®, Anvil®, Comfort Colors®, Alstyle®, Secret®, Silks®, Kushyfoot®, Secret Silky®, Peds®, MediPeds® and Therapy Plus™ brands. Sock products are also distributed through the Company’s exclusive U.S. sock license for the Under Armour® brand, and a wide array of products is also marketed through a global license for the Mossy Oak® brand. The Company sells its products through two primary channels of distribution, namely printwear and retail markets. The Company distributes its products in printwear markets in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Latin America. In retail markets, the Company sells its products to a broad spectrum of retailers primarily in the U.S. and Canada and also manufactures for select leading global athletic and lifestyle consumer brands.
Gildan owns and operates vertically-integrated, large-scale manufacturing facilities which are primarily located in Central America, the Caribbean Basin, North America and Bangladesh. These facilities are strategically located to efficiently service the quick replenishment needs of its customers in the printwear and retail markets. Gildan has over 48,000 employees worldwide and is committed to industry-leading labour and environmental practices throughout the Company’s supply chain. More information about the Company and its corporate citizenship practices and initiatives can be found at www.gildan.com and www.genuinegildan.com, respectively.
About UNICEF
UNICEF’s current relief efforts are focused on providing people access to clean water, hygiene and sanitation, getting children back to school, and restoring basic health and nutrition services for women and children.
About Americares
Americares’ emergency response teams are providing medicine and medical supplies to clinics and hospitals, expanding mobile medical care in areas where health facilities are damaged or overwhelmed, and providing water purification supplies and other cholera prevention items to devastated communities, representing over 1.4 million people.
Garry Bell
Vice President, Corporate Marketing and Communications
(514) 744-8600
gbell@gildan.com