The Globe and Mail reports in its Tuesday edition that Gildan Activewear has finalized its $2.2-billion (U.S.) takeover of Hanesbrands, launching what its chief executive officer says will be a new era of growth for the two former rivals. The Globe's Nicolas Van Praet writes that among the first opportunities: better underwear. The deal, first announced in August, combines two of the world's biggest producers of basic apparel. Gildan is perhaps best known as a maker of blank, customizable T-shirts and fleece sweatshirts for wholesalers, while U.S.-based Hanes has built its name over a century in underwear and undershirts sold in stores. Gildan will double its annual revenue by taking over Hanesbrands and apply its low-cost manufacturing capability and leading-edge technology to make Hanes's already strong name recognition and retail reach even stronger, Gildan CEO Glenn Chamandy said. Gildan plans to eventually bring the bulk of Hanes's volumes into its own facilities. Mr. Chamandy says: "Consumers today are happy with the Hanes brand. I would say consumers of the future are going to be much happier." He added that Gildan could introduce better fabrics, better construction and better packaging to Hanes innerwear.