Delta Apparel Pays First Quarterly Dividend

DULUTH, Ga.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 24, 2002--Delta Apparel, Inc. (AMEX:DLA) today paid its first quarterly dividend of ten cents per share.

As previously announced in April, the Board of Directors of Delta Apparel adopted the quarterly dividend program of ten cents per share per quarter. Although the Board may terminate or amend the program at any time, the Company anticipates that the dividend program will be continued in future quarters.

Robert W. Humphreys, President and CEO of Delta Apparel, stated "We are excited to be able to provide our shareholders with a cash dividend, in addition to generating sufficient cash to lower our debt and fund our growth. The Company has commenced production in the recently purchased Fayette, Alabama textile facility."

The Company further announced that the Atlanta Journal- Constitution selected Delta Apparel as one of the top ten Georgia based Public Companies based on its operating performance for the past year.

Delta Apparel, Inc. is a vertically integrated manufacturer and marketer of high quality knit apparel. The Company specializes in selling undecorated T-shirts, golf shirts and tank tops to distributors, screen printers and private label accounts. Delta Apparel has operations in six states, two company-operated sewing facilities in Honduras and one company-operated sewing facility in Mexico. The Company employs about 2,900 worldwide.

Statements and other information in this press release that are not reported financial results or other historical information are forward-looking statements. These are based on Delta Apparel's expectations and are necessarily dependent upon assumptions, estimates and data that the Company believes 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. The Company does not undertake to publicly update or revise the forward-looking statements even if it becomes clear that any projected results will not be realized.

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Released May 24, 2002