Montreal, Friday, December 19, 2014 – Gildan Activewear Inc. (GIL; TSX and NYSE) today announced the appointment of James Kehoe as Executive Vice-President, Chief Financial and Administrative Officer. Mr. Kehoe succeeds Laurence G. Sellyn, who is retiring from this position which he has filled since 1999.

Mr. Kehoe, 52, has spent 25 years within the Kraft Foods organization in successive roles of increasing responsibility, both in Europe and North America. As such, Mr. Kehoe comes to Gildan with extensive experience in a sophisticated global consumer products environment with leading global consumer brands, vertical manufacturing operations and best practices for commodities purchasing. Prior to joining Gildan, Mr. Kehoe was Senior Vice-President, Operating Excellence, for Mondelēz International, the former snacking and confectionary division of Kraft Foods. Previously, Mr. Kehoe was Senior Vice-President, Corporate Finance of Kraft Foods Group where he led the financial structuring of the Company at the time of the spin-off from Mondelēz.

Mr. Kehoe’s appointment will be effective January 1, 2015. Mr. Sellyn will continue with Gildan for a transitional period as required in order to support Mr. Kehoe’s integration into the Company and ensure an orderly transfer of responsibilities.

Glenn J. Chamandy, President and CEO of Gildan said: “I would like to express my deep appreciation to Laurence who has been my friend and partner for over 15 years and has played a strategic leadership role in Gildan's development into a leading public company. At the same time I would like to welcome James and I look forward to our collaboration as we pursue the next exciting stage in Gildan’s growth strategy.”

About Gildan

Gildan is a leading supplier 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® and Anvil® brands and brand extensions, as well as the recently acquired Secret®, Silks® and Therapy Plus™ brands. The Company also has licenses for the Under Armour®, Mossy Oak®, and New Balance® brands. The Company distributes its products in printwear markets in the U.S. and Canada, as well as inEurope, Asia Pacific and Latin America. The Company also markets its products to a broad spectrum of retailers in the U.S. and Canada.

Gildan owns and operates vertically-integrated, large-scale manufacturing facilities which are primarily located in Central America and the Caribbean Basin to efficiently service the replenishment needs of its customers in the printwear and retail markets. Gildan has over 43,000 employees worldwide and is committed to industry-leading labour and environmental practices in all of its facilities. More information about the Company and its corporate citizenship practices and initiatives can be found at its corporate websites www.gildan.com and www.genuinegildan.com respectively