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                                                                    EXHIBIT 99.1



                                                               February 20, 2001


Board of Directors
Springs Industries, Inc.
205 North White Street
Fort Mill, South Carolina  29715

Ladies and Gentlemen:

                  Members of the Close family (the "Family Shareholders") who
own approximately 41% of the common stock of Springs Industries, Inc. (the
"Company") and Heartland Industrial Partners, L.P. ("Heartland") are pleased to
submit a proposal to acquire all the outstanding common stock of the Company not
owned by the Family Shareholders in a recapitalization transaction for $44.00
per share in cash (the "Transaction").

                  The total funds necessary to consummate the Transaction
(including refinancing the Company's existing credit facility) are expected to
be approximately $1,195 million. These funds would be provided by $225 million
in new equity from Heartland and committed debt financing from The Chase
Manhattan Bank ("Chase"). Copies of the commitment letters received by Heartland
from Chase are attached hereto as Exhibit A and a copy of the equity commitment
letter of Heartland is attached hereto as Exhibit B.

                  We anticipate that the Transaction would close within 90 days
of signing a definitive recapitalization agreement. We will provide you and your
legal and financial advisors shortly a draft recapitalization agreement and are
prepared to expeditiously negotiate a definitive agreement. Obviously, neither
the Company on the one hand nor Heartland and the Family Shareholders on the
other will have any legal obligation relating to the Transaction until mutually
satisfactory definitive agreements have been executed by all parties.

                  The Family Shareholders have confirmed to and agreed with
Heartland that they are not sellers of their equity in the Company, other than
approximately one million shares which may be sold prior to the Transaction, and
therefore would not support any alternative transaction.
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                  We welcome the opportunity to discuss with you all aspects of
this proposal and are prepared to commence negotiations with respect to the
Transaction immediately. If you have any questions regarding, or wish to
discuss, this proposal, please contact for the Family Shareholders Crandall C.
Bowles at (803) 547-3795 and for Heartland David Stockman or Dan Tredwell at
(203) 861-2622.

                                        Sincerely,


                                        /s/ Crandall C. Bowles
                                        ---------------------------------------
                                        Crandall C. Bowles
                                        On behalf of the Family Shareholders


                                        HEARTLAND INDUSTRIAL PARTNERS, L.P.

                                        By: HEARTLAND INDUSTRIAL
                                            ASSOCIATES, L.L.C.,
                                            its General Partner



                                        By: /s/ David A. Stockman
                                            -----------------------------------
                                            Name:  David A. Stockman
                                            Title: Senior Managing Partner



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