EXHIBIT 99.1


                    DELTA WOODSIDE INDUSTRIES AND DELTA MILLS
                  ANNOUNCE MODIFIED DUTCH AUCTION TENDER OFFER
                  FOR DELTA MILLS 9 5/8% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2007


Delta Woodside Industries, Inc.
CONTACT: William H. Hardman, Jr.



Greenville, SC, April 3, 2002 - Delta Woodside Industries,  Inc. (NYSE: DLW) and
its wholly-owned  subsidiary Delta Mills,  Inc. today announced that Delta Mills
has  commenced  a "Modified  Dutch  Auction"  tender  offer for a portion of its
outstanding 9 5/8% Senior Notes due 2007.

Delta  Mills is  inviting  holders to submit  offers to sell  notes,  at a price
determined by each holder,  within a range of $500 to $540 per $1,000  principal
amount upon the terms and  conditions  specified in the Offer to Purchase  dated
April 3, 2002.  Holders  whose notes are accepted for purchase will also receive
accrued and unpaid interest upon consummation of the tender offer.

The tender offer will expire at 5:00 p.m.,  New York City time,  on May 1, 2002,
unless extended or earlier terminated (the "Expiration Date").  Tenders of notes
may be made or withdrawn at any time prior to the Expiration Date.

Delta  Mills is making the tender  offer by way of a  "Modified  Dutch  Auction"
procedure.  Under this procedure, Delta Mills will accept notes offered for sale
in the following order: first, offers to sell notes at $500 per $1,000 principal
amount and  continuing  with offers to sell notes in order of  increasing  offer
price,  until  Delta  Mills has spent  approximately  $23.0  million  (excluding
accrued interest). Delta Mills will pay to all holders whose offers are accepted
the highest  price  offered for notes that are  accepted  for  purchase by Delta
Mills  (the  "Clearing  Price"),  even if that  price is  higher  than the price
offered by such holder.  If the aggregate  principal  amount of notes offered at
the Clearing  Price  exceeds the maximum  principal  amount of notes that may be
accepted by Delta Mills at the  Clearing  Price under the  foregoing  procedure,
acceptances of offers at the Clearing  Price will be allocated  among such notes
on a pro rata basis according to the principal  amount so offered.  The offer is
being funded from working  capital and from funds  available  under Delta Mills'
revolving credit facility.

The terms and conditions of the tender offer are set forth in Delta Mills' Offer
to Purchase dated April 3, 2002. This press release is not an offer to purchase,
a solicitation of an offer to purchase or a solicitation of an offer to sell any
notes. The offer may only be made pursuant to the terms of the Offer to Purchase
and related Letter of Transmittal.

Banc of America Securities LLC is the exclusive dealer manager,  The Bank of New
York is the depositary,  and D.F. King & Co., Inc. is the  information  agent in
connection  with the tender  offer.  Copies of the Offer to Purchase and related
offer documents may be obtained from the information agent at 800-949-2583 (toll
free) or 212-269-5550 (collect).  Additional information concerning the terms of
the tender offer may be obtained by contacting Banc of America Securities LLC at
888-292-0070 (toll free) or 704-388-2842 (collect).

The preceding discussion contains certain  "forward-looking  statements".  These
statements are based on the  expectations  of Delta Woodside and Delta Mills and
are necessarily dependent upon assumptions, estimates and data that they believe
are  reasonable  and accurate but may be  incorrect,  incomplete  or  imprecise.
Forward-looking  statements  are also subject to a number of business  risks and
uncertainties, any of which could cause actual results to differ materially from
those set forth in or implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks and
uncertainties  include,  among others,  changes in the retail demand for apparel



products,  the cost of raw materials,  competitive conditions in the apparel and
textile industries, the relative strength of the United States dollar as against
other  currencies,  changes in United States trade regulations and the discovery
of unknown conditions (such as with respect to environmental matters and similar
items).  Accordingly,  any  forward-looking  statements  do  not  purport  to be
predictions of future events or circumstances and may not be realized.

Delta Woodside Industries, Inc. is headquartered in Greenville,  South Carolina.
Through its  wholly-owned  subsidiary,  Delta Mills, it  manufactures  and sells
textile  products  for the apparel  industry.  The Company  employs  about 1,800
people and operates six plants located in North and South Carolina.