ATMAIN02: CREDIT AGRMT AMDMT JULY 98.DOC



                      FIRST AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT


      THIS FIRST  AMENDMENT TO CREDIT  AGREEMENT  (this "First  Amendment") is
dated as of the 22nd day of July,  1998 among  CULP,  INC.  (the  "Borrower"),
WACHOVIA BANK, N.A.  (successor by merger to Wachovia Bank of Georgia,  N.A.),
as Agent (the  "Agent"),  FIRST UNION  NATIONAL  BANK  (successor by merger to
First Union  National  Bank of North  Carolina),  as  Documentation  Agent and
WACHOVIA BANK,  N.A.(successor  by merger to Wachovia Bank of North  Carolina,
N.A.),  FIRST UNION NATIONAL BANK,  SUNTRUST BANK,  ATLANTA,  and COOPERATIEVE
CENTRALE  RAIFFEISEN-BOERENLEEENBANK  B.A.,  "RABOBANK  NEDERLAND",  NEW  YORK
BRANCH (collectively, the "Banks");


                             W I T N E S S E T H:


      WHEREAS, the Borrower,  the Agent, the Documentation Agent and the Banks
executed and delivered  that certain Credit  Agreement,  dated as of April 23,
1997 (the "Credit Agreement");

      WHEREAS,  the Borrower has  requested and the Agent,  the  Documentation
Agent  and  the  Banks  have  agreed  to a  certain  amendment  to the  Credit
Agreement, subject to the terms and conditions hereof;

      NOW,  THEREFORE,  for and in  consideration  of the above  premises  and
other good and valuable  consideration,  the receipt and  sufficiency of which
hereby is  acknowledged by the parties hereto,  the Borrower,  the Agent,  the
Documentation Agent and the Banks hereby covenant and agree as follows:

      1.  Definitions.  Unless  otherwise  specifically  defined herein,  each
term used  herein  which is  defined in the  Credit  Agreement  shall have the
meaning  assigned  to such term in the Credit  Agreement.  Each  reference  to
"hereof", "hereunder",  "herein" and "hereby" and each other similar reference
and each  reference  to "this  Agreement"  and each  other  similar  reference
contained in the Credit  Agreement  shall from and after the date hereof refer
to the Credit Agreement as amended hereby.

      2.    Amendment to Section  1.01.  Section 1.01 of the Credit  Agreement
hereby is amended by deleting the definition of "Commitment"  and substituting
therefor the following:





                                     8
ATMAIN02: CREDIT AGRMT AMDMT JULY 98.DOC
            "Commitment" means, for each Bank, the amount set forth
opposite the name of such Bank on the signature page of this      First
Amendment.

      3.    Amendment to Section  1.01.  Section 1.01 of the Credit  Agreement
hereby is amended by deleting the definition of "Commitment Reduction Date".

      4. Amendment to Section 2.02.  Section  2.02(a) of the Credit  Agreement
hereby is amended by deleting the proviso at the end of clause (iv) thereof.

      5.  Amendment  to  Section  2.06(a).   Section  2.06(a)  of  the  Credit
Agreement  hereby is amended by deleting it in its entirety  and  substituting
the following therefor:

            (a) "Applicable Margin" means:

      (i) for the period  commencing  on the Closing Date to and including the
first  Performance  Pricing  Determination  Date,  (x) for any Base Rate Loan,
0.00%, and (y) for any Euro-Dollar Loan or Foreign Currency Loan, 0.275%; and

      (ii) from and after the first  Performance  Pricing  Determination  Date
until the end of Fiscal Year 1999,  (x) for any Base Rate Loan,  0.00% and (y)
for each  Euro-Dollar  Loan,  the  percentage  determined on each  Performance
Pricing  Determination  Date by  reference  to the table set forth below as to
such  type of Loan and the  Debt/EBITDA  Ratio  for the  quarterly  or  annual
period ending  immediately  prior to such  Performance  Pricing  Determination
Date.

               Debt/EBITDA Ratio                Applicable Margin
                  < 1.0 to 1.0                         0.25%
 
                  > 1.0 to 1.0 but
                  < 2.0 to 1.0                         0.275%
                  > 2.0 to 1.0 but
                  < 2.5 to 1.0                         0.30%
 
                  > 2.5 to 1.0 but
                  < 3.0 to 1.0                         0.3625%
                  > 3.0 to 1.0 but                     0.55%
                  < 3.5 to 1.0

                  > 3.5 to 1.0                         0.75%



      and,  (iii) from and after the  beginning  of Fiscal Year 2000,  (x) for
any Base Rate Loan,  0.00% and (y) for each  Euro-Dollar  Loan, the percentage
determined on each Performance Pricing  Determination Date by reference to the
table set forth  below as to such type of Loan and the  Debt/EBITDA  Ratio for
the quarterly or annual period ending  immediately  prior to such  Performance
Pricing Determination Date.

             Debt/EBITDA Ratio                        Applicable Margin
                  < 1.0 to 1.0                         0.25%
 
                  > 1.0 to 1.0 but
                  < 2.0 to 1.0                         0.275%
                  > 2.0 to 1.0 but
                  < 2.5 to 1.0                         0.30%
 
                  > 2.5 to 1.0 but
                  < 3.0 to 1.0                         0.3625%

                  > 3.0 to 1.0                         0.55%

            In  determining  interest  for  purposes of this  Section 2.06 and
fees for purposes of Section  2.07,  the Borrower and the Banks shall refer to
the Borrower's most recent consolidated  quarterly and annual (as the case may
be) financial  statements delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or (b), as the
case  may be.  If such  financial  statements  require  a change  in  interest
pursuant to this Section 2.06 or fees pursuant to Section  2.07,  the Borrower
shall deliver to the Agent, along with such financial statements,  a notice to
that  effect,   which  notice  shall  set  forth  in  reasonable   detail  the
calculations   supporting  the  required  change.  The  "Performance   Pricing
Determination  Date"  is the  date  which  is the  last  date  on  which  such
financial  statements  are  permitted  to be  delivered  pursuant  to  Section
5.01(a) or (b), as applicable.  Any such required  change in interest and fees
shall become effective on such  Performance  Pricing  Determination  Date, and
shall be in effect  until the next  Performance  Pricing  Determination  Date,
provided  that:  (x) for Fixed Rate Loans,  changes in interest  shall only be
effective for Interest Periods commencing on or after the Performance  Pricing
Determination  Date; and (y) no fees or interest  shall be decreased  pursuant
to this  Section  2.06 or  Section  2.07 if a Default is in  existence  on the
Performance Pricing Determination Date.

      6.  Amendment  to Section  2.09.  Section  2.09 of the Credit  Agreement
hereby  is  amended  by  deleting  it in its  entirety  and  substituting  the
following therefor:





                 SECTION 2.09.  Termination of  Commitments.  The Commitments
            shall  terminate  on the  Termination  Date  and  any  Loans  then
            outstanding  (together with accrued interest thereon) shall be due
            and payable on such date.

      7.  Amendment  to Section  5.21.  Section  5.21 of the Credit  Agreement
hereby  is  amended  by  deleting  it in its  entirety  and  substituting  the
following therefor:

                  SECTION  5.21.  Debt/EBITDA  Ratio.  The  Debt/EBITDA  Ratio
            will at the end of each Fiscal Month (i) during  Fiscal Year 1999,
            be less than 4.0 to 1.0, and (ii) thereafter,  be less than 3.5 to
            1.0.

      8.    Amendment to Section  5.22.  Section 5.22 of the Credit  Agreement
hereby  is  amended  by  deleting  it in its  entirety  and  substituting  the
following therefor:

                  SECTION  5.22.  Acquisitions.  Neither the  Borrower nor any
            Subsidiary  shall make any  Acquisitions  after the Closing  Date,
            except that the Borrower may make any Acquisition  which is (i) of
            stock or  assets  of a Person in  substantially  similar  lines of
            business to that of the Borrower and its  Subsidiaries and (ii) in
            an  aggregate  amount  for any  single  Acquisition  or  series of
            related Acquisitions which does not exceed $50,000,000.

      9.  Amendment  to Exhibit F.  Exhibit F to the Credit  Agreement  hereby
is amended by  deleting  paragraph 7 thereof and  substituting  the  following
paragraph 7 therefor:

                  7.  Debt/EBITDA Ratio (Section 5.21)

                  The  Debt/EBITDA  Ratio will at the end of each Fiscal Month
            (i) during  Fiscal  Year 1999,  be less than 4.0 to 1.0,  and (ii)
            thereafter, be less than 3.5 to 1.0.

                  (a)  Total Debt                     $           

                  (b)  EBITDA - Schedule 1            $           

                  (c)  Actual ratio of (a) to (b)           to 1.0

                  Maximum ratio                       < ___ to 1.0

                                                      [<3.5 to 1.0]

                                                      [<4.0 to 1.0]
 






      10.   Assignment of Loans.  Rabobank  Nederland hereby sells and assigns
to each of the other Banks, and each other Bank hereby  purchases,  a pro rata
(with  respect to its  Commitments)  interest in all of  Rabobank  Nederland's
rights and  obligations  under the Credit  Agreement  as of the date hereof as
more specifically set forth on  Schedule 1 attached hereto.

      11.  Restatement  of  Representations   and  Warranties.   The  Borrower
hereby  restates  and  renews  each  and  every  representation  and  warranty
heretofore made by it in the Credit  Agreement and the other Loan Documents as
fully as if made on the date hereof and with specific  reference to this First
Amendment  and  all  other  loan  documents   executed  and/or   delivered  in
connection herewith.

      12.  Effect of  Amendment.  Except as set forth  expressly  hereinabove,
all terms of the Credit  Agreement and the other Loan  Documents  shall be and
remain in full  force and  effect,  and shall  constitute  the  legal,  valid,
binding  and   enforceable   obligations  of  the  Borrower.   The  amendments
contained herein shall be deemed to have prospective  application only, unless
otherwise specifically stated herein.

      13.   Ratification.   The  Borrower   hereby   restates,   ratifies  and
reaffirms each and every term,  covenant and condition set forth in the Credit
Agreement and the other Loan Documents effective as of the date hereof.

      14.  Counterparts.  This First  Amendment  may be executed in any number
of counterparts and by different parties hereto in separate counterparts,  and
delivered  by  facsimile  transmission,  each of which  when so  executed  and
delivered  (including  by  facsimile  transmission)  shall be  deemed to be an
original and all of which counterparts,  taken together,  shall constitute but
one and the same instrument.

      15.  Section  References.  Section  titles and  references  used in this
First  Amendment shall be without  substantive  meaning or content of any kind
whatsoever  and are not a part of the  agreements  among  the  parties  hereto
evidenced hereby.

      16. No  Default.  To induce  the Agent and the Banks to enter  into this
First  Amendment  and to  continue  to make  advances  pursuant  to the Credit
Agreement,  the Borrower hereby  acknowledges  and agrees that, as of the date
hereof,  and after giving  effect to the terms  hereof,  there  exists  (i)-no
Default  or  Event  of  Default   and  (ii)-no   right  of  offset,   defense,
counterclaim,  claim or objection  in favor of the Borrower  arising out of or
with respect to any of the Loans or other  obligations of the Borrower owed to
the Banks under the Credit Agreement.





     17.  Further  Assurances.  The  Borrower  agrees  to take  such  further
actions as the Agent  shall  reasonably  request  in  connection  herewith  to
evidence the amendments herein contained to the Borrower.

      18.  Governing  Law.  This  First  Amendment  shall be  governed  by and
construed  and  interpreted  in  accordance  with,  the  laws of the  State of
Georgia.

      19.  Conditions  Precedent.  This First Amendment shall become effective
only upon execution and delivery of this First Amendment by the Borrower,  the
Agent and each Bank.

      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Borrower,  the Agent and each of the Banks whose
signature  appears below has caused this First  Amendment to be duly executed,
under seal, by its duly authorized  officer as of the day and year first above
written.


                                    CULP, INC.,
                                    as Borrower                        (SEAL)



                                    By: Phillip W. Wilson           
                                        Title: Vice President and
                                                Chief Financial Officer
COMMITMENT:

$33,600,000                         WACHOVIA BANK, N.A. (successor
                                    by merger to Wachovia Bank of
                                    Georgia, N.A. and Wachovia Bank
                                    North Carolina, N.A.), as Agent
                                    and as a Bank                      (SEAL)



                                    By: David G. Black 
                                        Title:







                                    COOPERATIEVE CENTRALE
                                    RAIFFEISEN BOERENLEEENBANK
                                    B.A., "RABOBANK NEDERLAND",
                                    NEW YORK BRANCH,
                                    as a Bank                          (SEAL)



                                    By: Theodore W. Cox  
                                        Title: Vice President


                                    By: W. Jeffrey Vollack  
                                       Title: Senior Credit Officer
                                                Senior Vice President


$30,400,000                         FIRST UNION NATIONAL BANK
                                    (successor by merger to
                                    First Union National Bank
                                    of North Carolina),
                                    as Documentation Agent and
                                    as a Bank                          (SEAL)



                                    By: G. Mendel Lay, Jr.  
                                        Title:  Senior Vice President



$24,000,000                         SUNTRUST BANK, ATLANTA,
                                    as a Bank                          (SEAL)



                                    By:  Bradley J. Staples  
                                         Title:  Senior Vice President




                                    Schedule 1



Prior Syndicated Loans Outstanding:

      Wachovia Bank, N.A.                 $8,400,000

      First Union National Bank           $7,600,000

      Suntrust Bank, Atlanta              $6,000,000

      Rabobank Nederland                  $3,000,000


Syndicated Loans Purchased from Rabobank Nederland:

      Wachovia Bank, N.A.                 $1,145,454.55

      First Union National Bank           $1,036,363.64

      Suntrust Bank, Atlanta              $  818,181.81


Current Syndicated Loan Balances:

      Wachovia Bank, N.A.                 $9,545,454.55

      First Union National Bank           $8,636,363.64

      Suntrust Bank, Atlanta              $6,818,181.81