Montreal, April 7, 2004 - Gildan Activewear Inc. (NYSE: GIL; TSX: GIL.A) today announced that it has become the first manufacturer catering to the wholesale imprinted activewear industry to obtain the Oeko-tex Standard 100 certification, the most internationally recognized eco-label designation in the textile supply chain. This certification further solidifies Gildan's position as a leader in environmental sustainability and corporate social responsibility.

The Oeko-tex Standard 100 represents the first uniform safety standard of its type within the textile industry to ensure that the production process and the textiles themselves pose no risk to human health. It was launched in April 1992 by the International Textile Research Centre at the Hohenstein Institute, Bönnigheim, Germany, and the Vienna-based Austrian Textile Research Institute (ÖTI). Its goal is to offer consumers maximum confidence in terms of health and environmental implications when buying textiles.

"This certification should further assure consumers that Gildan is totally committed to environmentally responsible manufacturing processes. The Oeko-tex Standard 100 is consistent with our own rigorous Environmental Code of Practice, and we are proud to manufacture products processed with environmental awareness," declared Glenn Chamandy, President and Co-Chief Executive Officer.

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Gildan Activewear is a public, vertically-integrated manufacturer and marketer of premium quality branded basic activewear for sale principally in the wholesale imprinted activewear segment of the Canadian, U.S., European and other international apparel markets. The Corporation manufactures and sells premium quality 100% cotton and 50% cotton/50% polyester T-shirts, placket collar sport shirts and sweatshirts in a variety of weights, sizes, colours and styles. The Corporation sells its products as blanks, which are ultimately decorated with designs and logos for sale to consumers. Gildan employs more than 9,300 employees. More information on the Corporation may be found at www.gildan.com.