Exhibit 24

                                 POWER OF ATTORNEY

         KNOW  ALL  MEN BY  THESE  PRESENTS,  that  each of the  undersigned,  a
Director  or  Executive  Officer  of  Burlington  Industries,  Inc.,  a Delaware
Corporation, does hereby constitute and appoint each of John D. Englar and Alice
Washington  Grogan as his or her true and lawful  attorney  and agent to execute
and deliver a  Registration  Statement  on Form S-8 or such other form as may be
appropriate, including any amendments thereto, to register 150,000 shares of the
Common Stock of the Company, par value $0.01 per share, for issuance pursuant to
an executive award agreement, pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act
of 1933.

                  Signature                Title                        Date
                  ---------                -----                        ----


/s/ George W. Henderson, III      Director, Chairman of the         June 1, 2000
- ----------------------------      Board and Chief Executive Officer
George W. Henderson, III          (Principal Executive Officer)


/s/ Charles E. Peters, Jr.        Senior Vice President and         June 1, 2000
- --------------------------        Chief Financial Officer
Charles E. Peters, Jr.            (Principal Financial Officer)


/s/ Carl J. Hawk                  Controller                        June 1, 2000
- ----------------                  (Principal Accounting Officer)
Carl J. Hawk


/s/ Jerald A. Blumberg            Director                          June 1, 2000
- ----------------------
Jerald A. Blumberg


/s/ John D. Englar                Director                          June 1, 2000
- ------------------
John D. Englar


/s/ John G. Medlin, Jr.           Director                          June 1, 2000
- -----------------------
John G. Medlin, Jr.


/s/ Nelson Schwab III             Director                          June 1, 2000
- ---------------------
Nelson Schwab III


/s/ Abraham B. Stenberg           Director                          June 1, 2000
- -----------------------
Abraham B. Stenberg


/s/ Theresa M. Stone              Director                          June 1, 2000
- --------------------
Theresa M. Stone


/s/ W. Barger Tygart              Director                          June 1, 2000
- --------------------
W. Barger Tygart