EXHIBIT 10.1 THIRD AMENDMENT TO TERM CREDIT AGREEMENT THIS THIRD AMENDMENT TO TERM CREDIT AGREEMENT (this "Third Amendment"), dated as of May 5, 1999, is entered into among PILLOWTEX CORPORATION, a Texas corporation (the "Borrower"), the institutions listed on the signature pages hereof (collectively, the "Lenders"), and NATIONSBANK, N.A. (successor by merger to NationsBank of Texas, N.A.), as Administrative Agent (in said capacity, the "Administrative Agent"). BACKGROUND A. The Borrower, the Lenders and the Administrative Agent are parties to that certain Term Credit Agreement, dated as of December 19, 1997, as amended by that certain First Amendment to Term Credit Agreement, dated as of June 19, 1998, and that certain Second Amendment to Term Credit Agreement, dated as of July 28, 1998 (the "Credit Agreement"; the terms defined in the Credit Agreement and not otherwise defined herein shall be used herein as defined in the Credit Agreement). B. Borrower, the Lenders and the Administrative Agent desire to make certain amendments to the Credit Agreement. NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the covenants, conditions and agreements hereinafter set forth, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and adequacy of which are all hereby acknowledged, the Borrower, the Lenders and the Administrative Agent covenant and agree as follows: 1. AMENDMENTS TO CREDIT AGREEMENT. (a) Section 1.1 of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended by adding the defined term "1999 Senior Subordinated Notes" thereto in proper alphabetical order to read as follows: "1999 Senior Subordinated Notes" means those certain Senior Subordinated Notes due 2009 in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $125,000,000, the terms of which shall have been approved in writing by the Determining Lenders under this Agreement and the Determining Lenders as defined in and under the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement." (b) 2.5(e) of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended to read as follows: "(e) Prepayment from Issuance of Institutional Debt. Concurrently with the receipt of Net Cash Proceeds from the issuance of Institutional Debt by the Borrower after the Agreement Date (other than (i) the Net Cash Proceeds from the issuance of any Subordinated Debt which are used to repay the Bridge Notes and (ii) up to $100,000,000 in aggregate amount of Net Cash Proceeds from the issuance of the 1999 Senior Subordinated Notes), the Borrower shall prepay the Facility A Term Loan Advances and the Facility B Term Loan Advances in an amount equal to the lesser of (a) 100% of such Net Cash Proceeds (which with respect to the 1999 Senior Subordinated Notes shall be 100% of Net Cash Proceeds in excess of $100,000,000) or (b) an amount, if any, which would result in the Leverage Ratio being less than 4.00 to 1 after such prepayment. Each such prepayment shall be applied pro rata to all of the unpaid scheduled installment payments of the Facility A Term Loan Advances and the Facility B Term Loan Advances, in each case pro rata based upon the respective principal amounts of such installment payments then unpaid." 2. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES TRUE; NO EVENT OF DEFAULT. By its execution and delivery hereof, the Borrower represents and warrants that, as of the date hereof and after giving effect to the amendments contemplated by the foregoing Section 1: (a) the representations and warranties contained in the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents are true and correct on and as of the date hereof as made on and as of such date; (b) no event has occurred and is continuing which constitutes a Default or an Event of Default; (c) the Borrower has full power and authority to execute and deliver this Third Amendment, and this Third Amendment constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligations of the Borrower, enforceable in accordance with their respective terms, except as enforceability may be limited by applicable Debtor Relief Laws and by general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding in equity or at law) and except as rights to indemnity may be limited by federal or state securities laws; (d) neither the execution, delivery and performance of this Third Amendment nor the consummation of any transactions contemplated herein will conflict with any Law, the articles of incorporation, bylaws or other governance document of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or any indenture, agreement or other instrument to which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective property is subject; and (e) no authorization, approval, consent, or other action by, notice to, or filing with, any governmental authority or other Person (including the Board of Directors of the Borrower), is required for the execution, delivery or performance by the Borrower of this Third Amendment or the acknowledgment of this Third Amendment by any Guarantor. 3. CONDITIONS OF EFFECTIVENESS. This Third Amendment shall be effective as of May 5, 1999, subject to the following: (a) the Administrative Agent shall receive counterparts of this Third Amendment executed by all of the Lenders; (b) the Administrative Agent shall receive counterparts of this Third Amendment executed by the Borrower and acknowledged by each Guarantor; (c) the Administrative Agent shall have received an opinion of counsel to the Borrower covering the matters set forth in Sections 2.4(c), (d) and (e) of this Third Amendment; (d) the Administrative Agent shall have received from the Borrower, for the account of each Lender, an amount equal to the product of (i) 0.10% multiplied by (ii) by the sum of (A) the Facility A Term Loan Advances and Facility B Term Loan Advances owed to each Lender and (B) the product of each Lender's Specified Percentage multiplied by the Commitment (as defined in the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement); and (e) the Administrative Agent shall receive, in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its counsel, such other documents, certificates and instruments as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably require. 4. GUARANTOR ACKNOWLEDGMENT. By signing below, each of the Guarantors (a) acknowledges, consents and agrees to the execution and delivery of this Third Amendment, (b) acknowledges and agrees that its obligations in respect of its Subsidiary Guaranty are not released, diminished, waived, modified, impaired or affected in any manner by this Third Amendment or any of the provisions contemplated herein and (c) ratifies and confirms its obligations under its Subsidiary Guaranty, and (d) acknowledges and agrees that it has no claims or offsets against, or defenses or counterclaims to, its Subsidiary Guaranty as a result of this Third Amendment. 5. REFERENCE TO THE CREDIT AGREEMENT. (a) Upon the effectiveness of this Third Amendment, each reference in the Credit Agreement to "this Agreement", "hereunder", or words of like import shall mean and be a reference to the Credit Agreement, as amended by this Third Amendment. (b) The Credit Agreement, as amended by this Third Amendment, and all other Loan Documents shall remain in full force and effect and are hereby ratified and confirmed. 6. COSTS, EXPENSES AND TAXES. The Borrower agrees to pay on demand all reasonable costs and expenses of the Administrative Agent in connection with the preparation, reproduction, execution and delivery of this Third Amendment and the other instruments and documents to be delivered hereunder (including the reasonable fees and out-of-pocket expenses of counsel for the Administrative Agent with respect thereto and with respect to advising the Administrative Agent as to its rights and responsibilities under the Credit Agreement, as amended by this Third Amendment). 7. EXECUTION IN COUNTERPARTS. This Third Amendment may be executed in any number of counterparts and by different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each which when so executed and delivered shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute but one and the same instrument. 8. GOVERNING LAW: BINDING EFFECT. This Third Amendment shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Texas (without regard to the principles of conflicts of laws) and the United States of America, and shall be binding upon the Borrower and each Lender and their respective successors and assigns. 9. HEADINGS. Section headings in this Third Amendment are included herein for convenience of reference only and shall not constitute a part of this Third Amendment for any other purpose. 10. ENTIRE AGREEMENT. THE CREDIT AGREEMENT, AS AMENDED BY THIS THIRD AMENDMENT, AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS REPRESENT THE FINAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE PARTIES AND MAY NOT BE CONTRADICTED BY EVIDENCE OF PRIOR, CONTEMPORANEOUS, OR SUBSEQUENT ORAL AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE PARTIES. THERE ARE NO UNWRITTEN ORAL AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE PARTIES. REMAINDER OF PAGE LEFT INTENTIONALLY BLANK IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Third Amendment as the date first above written. PILLOWTEX CORPORATION By: s/ Ronald M. Wehtje Name: Ronald M. Wehtje Title: Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer NATIONSBANK, N.A. (successor by merger to NationsBank of Texas, N.A.), as Administrative Agent and as a Lender By: Suzanne B. Smith Vice President BANK OF AMERICA NT&SA By: Name: Title: THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA ATLANTA AGENCY By: Name: Title: THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF CHICAGO By: Name: Title: COMERICA BANK By: Name: Title: CREDIT LYONNAIS NEW YORK BRANCH By: Name: Title: WELLS FARGO BANK (TEXAS), NATIONAL ASSOCIATION By: Name: Title: THE BANK OF TOKYO-MITSUBISHI, LTD. By: Name: Title: BANK ONE, TEXAS, N.A. By: Name: Title: BANKBOSTON, N.A. By: Name: Title: BHF-BANK AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT By: Name: Title: By: Name: Title: FIRST UNION NATIONAL BANK By: Name: Title: GENERAL ELECTRIC CAPITAL CORPORATION By: Name: Title: COOPERATIEVE CENTRALE RAIFFEISEN- BOERENLEENBANK B.A., "RABOBANK NEDERLAND", NEW YORK BRANCH By: Name: Title: By: Name: Title: SOCIETE GENERALE, SOUTHWEST AGENCY By: Name: Title: By: Name: Title: THE BANK OF NEW YORK By: Name: Title: COMPAGNIE FINANCIERE DE CIC ET DE L'UNION EUROPEENE By: Name: Title: By: Name: Title: BANK AUSTRIA CREDITANSTALT CORPORATE FINANCE, INC. By: Name: Title: By: Name: Title: FLEET BANK, N.A. By: Stephen M. Leavenworth Name: Title: Vice President THE FUJI BANK, LIMITED By: Name: Title: NATIONAL BANK OF CANADA By: Name: Title: By: Name: Title: NATIONAL CITY BANK OF KENTUCKY By: Don R. Pullen Name: Title: Vice President THE PRUDENTIAL INSURANCE COMPANY OF AMERICA By: Name: Title: BANK POLSKA KASA OPIEKI, S.A. - PEKAO S.A. GROUP, NEW YORK BRANCH By: Name: Title: GUARANTY FEDERAL BANK, F.S.B. By: Name: Title: BANKERS TRUST COMPANY By: Name: Title: MORGAN STANLEY DEAN WITTER PRIME INCOME TRUST By: Name: Title: SENIOR DEBT PORTFOLIO By: Name: Title: AERIES FINANCE LTD. By: Name: Title: CRESCENT/MACH I PARTNERS, L.P. By: TCW ASSET MANAGEMENT COMPANY, its Investment Manager By: Name: Title: DEEP ROCK & COMPANY By: Name: Title: KZH CRESCENT LLC By: Name: Title: CYPRESSTREE INVESTMENT PARTNERS I, LTD. By: CypressTree Investment Management Company, Inc., as Portfolio Manager By: Name: Title: VAN KAMPEN CLO I, LIMITED By: VAN KAMPEN MANAGEMENT, INC., as Collateral Manager By: Name: Title: BALANCED HIGH-YIELD FUND I LTD. By: BHF-BANK AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, acting through its New York Branch as attorney-in-fact By: Name: Title: By: Name: Title: INDOSUEZ CAPITAL FUNDING IV, L.P. By: INDOSUEZ CAPITAL, as Portfolio Advisor By: Name: Title: VAN KAMPEN SENIOR INCOME TRUST By: Name: Title: INDOSUEZ CAPITAL FUNDING IIA, LIMITED By: INDOSUEZ CAPITAL, as Portfolio Advisor By: Name: Title: CYPRESSTREE INSTITUTIONAL FUND, LLC By: CypressTree Investment Management Company, Inc., its Managing Member By: Name: Title: CYPRESSTREE INVESTMENT FUND, LLC By: CypressTree Investment Management Company, Inc., its Managing Member By: Name: Title: KZH CYPRESSTREE-1 LLC By: Name: Title: OXFORD STRATEGIC INCOME FUND By: Eaton Vance Management, as Investment Advisor By: Name: Title: VAN KAMPEN CLO II, LIMITED By: Van Kampen Management, Inc., as Collateral Manager By: Name: Title: CAPTIVA FINANCE, LTD. By: Name: Title: CAPTIVA II FINANCE, LTD. By: Name: Title: MOUNTAIN CAPITAL CLO I LTD. By: Name: Title: CANADIAN IMPERIAL BANK OF COMMERCE By: Name: Title: BALANCED HIGH-YIELD FUND II LTD. By: BHF-Bank Aktiengesellschaft, acting through its New York Branch, as attorney-in-fact By: Name: Title: By: Name: Title: KZH CRESCENT-3 LLC By: Name: Title: FREMONT FINANCIAL CORPORATION By: Name: Title: THE DAI-ICHI KANGYO BANK LIMITED, NEW YORK BRANCH By: Name: Title: TCW LEVERAGED INCOME TRUST, L.P. By: TCW ADVISERS (BERMUDA), LTD., as General Partner By: Name: Title: By: TCW INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT COMPANY, as Investment Adviser By: Name: Title: PROVIDENT CBO I, LIMITED By: Provident Investment Management, LLC By: Name: Title: ACKNOWLEDGED AND AGREED: PILLOWTEX, INC. PTEX HOLDING COMPANY PILLOWTEX MANAGEMENT SERVICES COMPANY BEACON MANUFACTURING COMPANY MANETTA HOME FASHIONS, INC. TENNESSEE WOOLEN MILLS FIELDCREST CANNON, INC. CRESTFIELD COTTON COMPANY ENCEE, INC. FCC CANADA, INC. FIELDCREST CANNON FINANCING, INC. FIELDCREST CANNON LICENSING, INC. FIELDCREST CANNON INTERNATIONAL, INC. FIELDCREST CANNON SURE FIT, INC. FIELDCREST CANNON TRANSPORTATION, INC. ST. MARYS, INC. AMOSKEAG COMPANY AMOSKEAG MANAGEMENT CORPORATION DOWNEAST SECURITIES CORPORATION BANGOR INVESTMENT COMPANY MOORE'S FALLS CORPORATION THE LESHNER CORPORATION LESHNER OF CALIFORNIA, INC. OPELIKA INDUSTRIES, INC. By: Ronald M. Wehtje Title: Senior Vice Presidnet and Chief Financial Officer