
<PAGE>



                              POLYMER GROUP, INC.
        Exhibit 12 - Calculation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                              Pro Forma
                                                            Pro Forma         Six Months      Six Months      Six Months
                                                            Year Ended          Ended           Ended           Ended
                                                           December 28,        June 28,        June 28,        June 29,
                                                               1996              1997            1997            1996
                                                           ------------      ------------    ------------    ------------
<S>                                                        <C>               <C>                 <C>           <C>
EARNINGS
--------
Consolidated income (loss) before
 income taxes and extraordinary item                         $30,453            $11,806         $16,401            $ 3,891

Undistributed dividend income from Fabrene                         -                  -               -                  -

Share of equity loss from minority interest
 in Fabrene (27%)                                                  -                  -               -                  -

Interest                                                      37,787             19,410          15,468             20,961

Interest capitalized during period and other credits          (2,669)            (1,936)         (1,936)            (1,356)

Amortization of capitalized debt costs                         1,849              1,003             350                575
                                                             -------            -------         -------            -------
              Earnings                                       $67,420            $30,283         $30,283            $24,071
                                                             -------            -------         -------            -------
FIXED CHARGES
--------------
Interest                                                     $37,787            $19,410         $15,468            $20,961

Amortization of capitalized debt costs                         1,849              1,003             350                575

Interest portion of rental expense                                 -                  -               -                  -
                                                             -------            -------         -------            -------
              Fixed charges                                  $39,636            $20,413         $15,818            $21,536
                                                             -------            -------         -------            -------

      Ratio of earnings to fixed charges (A)                     1.7                1.5             1.9                1.1
                                                             =======            =======         =======            =======

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<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                               Fiscal Year Ended
                                                              -----------------------------------------------------     Ten-Week
                                                              December 28,   December 30,  December 31,  January 1,   Period Ended
                                                                  1996           1995         1994         1994      January 2, 1993
                                                              ------------   ------------  ------------  ----------  ---------------
<S>                                                            <C>           <C>           <C>           <C>          <C>
EARNINGS
--------
Consolidated income (loss) before
 income taxes and extraordinary item                            $25,552       $(18,391)    $(14,985)      $ 5,410       $ (615)

Undistributed dividend income from Fabrene                            -              -         (246)         (340)        (113)

Share of equity loss from minority interest
 in Fabrene (27%)                                                     -              -          682           753            -

Interest                                                         36,310         39,801       13,699         4,659          915

Interest capitalized during period and other credits             (2,669)        (1,933)        (483)         (272)           -

Amortization of capitalized debt costs                            1,471          1,150          523           514           98
                                                                -------       --------     --------       -------       ------
              Earnings                                          $60,664       $ 20,627     $   (810)      $10,724       $  285
                                                                -------       --------     --------       -------       ------
FIXED CHARGES
-------------
Interest                                                        $36,310       $ 39,801     $ 13,699       $ 4,659       $  915

Amortization of capitalized debt costs                            1,471          1,150          523           514           98

Interest portion of rental expense                                    -              -            -             -            -
                                                                -------       --------     --------       -------       ------
              Fixed charges                                     $37,781       $ 40,951     $ 14,222       $ 5,173       $1,013
                                                                -------       --------     --------       -------       ------

      Ratio of earnings to fixed charges (A)                        1.6              -            -           2.1            -
                                                                ======        ========     ========       =======       ======
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(A) Fixed charges exceeded earnings for the ten-week period ended January 2,
1993, the year ended December 31, 1994 and the year ended December 30, 1995 by 
approximately $0.7 million, $15.0 million and $20.3 million, respectively. 
However, the Company met all required interest payment and debt obligations 
during this time period.
