Introducing Holofiber, World's First Body-Responsive Textile; Independent Studies Prove Holofiber's Ability To Improve Circulation, Speed Recovery And Boost Energy Levels.

Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 17, 2003

Major Manufacturers Incorporating Holofiber into Product Lines

Hologenix, a joint venture between Holofiber Enterprises Inc. and Wellman, Inc., today introduced Holofiber, the world's first body-responsive textile fiber. Holofiber has been scientifically proven to significantly increase oxygenated blood flow, which can increase circulation and build strength. For diabetics, this improvement in skin oxygenation can accelerate wound healing and help eliminate pain due to decreased blood flow. For people not affected by diabetes, this skin oxygenation helps speed recovery after exercise, boost energy levels and improve overall circulation.

Diabetics face two major issues: neuropathy, or the loss of sensation, and atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, which reduces the circulation of blood in the body. Atherosclerosis can lead to a number of conditions, including aching feet, leg pain and problems with wound healing. Symptoms include cold feet, pain in the legs when walking and pain in the feet when reclining. When worn on or near the skin, Holofiber responds to available light and the energy produced naturally by the body, converting light and the body's own energy into the necessary wavelengths that make this usually unavailable energy accessible to the body -- thereby improving the body's circulation and oxygen levels.

In addition to helping diabetics, this breakthrough textile has been shown to improve physical performance and recovery time among those without circulation problems. Holofiber is already being lauded by some of the world's top athletes, including top-ranked female triathlete and Olympic silver medalist Michellie Jones, who has been testing Holofiber for nearly two years.

"As a professional athlete, you want everything you can possibly find to help get the best performance possible," noted Jones. "That's one of the things I like about Holofiber -- the fact that it helps with recovery and circulation. What better way -- there's no extra effort, and it really helps and benefits you."

Robert Klein, co-founder and chairman of Holofiber Enterprises, noted, "If Holofiber can increase the recovery time of one of the world's leading athletes, imagine its potential for average consumers, both those with blood flow problems as well as healthy people."

Clinical Studies Evaluate Holofiber

A double blind clinical study conducted by Dr. Lawrence Lavery of Texas A&M University, one of the world's leading experts in diabetic foot complications, proved the effectiveness of Holofiber products in increasing oxygen levels in diabetic subjects. According to Dr. Lavery, there was a "...statistically significant change in transcutaneous oxygen -- or the oxygen delivery to the skin -- in hands and feet, on subjects wearing Holofiber gloves and socks compared to those wearing comparable non-Holofiber gloves and socks."

Following these findings, another double-blind study, conducted by Graham McClue Ph.D., with Dr. Lavery, was commissioned to determine if this fiber could produce the same results in non-compromised, or healthy, subjects. In both studies, Holofiber increased oxygen levels in both diabetic and non-challenged subjects by as much as 25%.

In addition, two other studies on Holofiber are currently underway:

-- Personnel stationed at the National Science Foundation's (NSF)

Summit Camp in Greenland, where the average daily temperature

is 30 degrees below zero Fahrenheit, are currently testing

Holofiber's abilities to better protect the body in adverse

weather conditions.

-- Dr. Richard Brown of the Eugene Health & Performance

Foundation, who has coached women athletes in endurance events

in each of the last five Olympic Games, is evaluating the

effects of Holofiber on sports performance and recovery.

Recording performance differences between subjects wearing

Holofiber products versus those who are not, the study

involves multiple runs on a treadmill while monitoring total

heart rate at a specific rate of increase in exercise

intensity.

Manufacturers Taking Advantage of Holofiber

Among the manufacturers already offering Holofiber products or planning to introduce them are Wickers tees, shorts, sock and glove liners at www.wickers.com; SuperFeet custom insoles available through www.superfeet.com and at REI retailers nationwide; Achieve O(2) diabetic and medical socks at www.achieve-O2.com; Callaway Golf shoes at www.callawaygolffootwear.com; and others, available on the Holofiber Web site at www.holofiber.com. More manufacturers will be announced in the coming weeks and months.

About Holofiber

Holofiber is a proprietary product with patent pending. It is a responsive material for textiles and other uses, and is not an additive or coating applied by spraying or dipping. Its properties do not wash or leach out of the fabric. All of the Holofiber materials are incorporated into the fiber (becoming part of the fiber) and are non-toxic and biologically benign. Additional information is available upon request or at www.holofiber.com.

About Hologenix

Hologenix, LLC is a joint venture between Wellman, Inc. (NYSE:WLM) and Holofiber Enterprises, Inc., formed to manufacture and market Holofiber. Wellman, a leading manufacturer of synthetic fibers and Holofiber Enterprises, a company engaged in leading-edge research and development, have been actively developing this product and supporting scientific testing for nearly two years.

About Wellman

Wellman, Inc. manufactures and markets high-quality polyester products, including Fortrel(R) brand polyester fibers, and PermaClear(R) and EcoClear(R) brand PET (polyethylene terephthalate) packaging resins. The world's largest PET plastic recycler, Wellman utilizes a significant amount of recycled raw materials in its manufacturing operations.