Exhibit 23(a)




            CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
            --------------------------------------------------------




To the Board of Directors and Shareholders of Culp, Inc.:

We consent to incorporation by reference in the registration statements (numbers
333-59512, 333-59514, 333-27519,  333-101805,  33-13310, 33-37027, 33-80206, and
33-62843) on Form S-8 of Culp,  Inc. of our report dated June 4, 2004,  relating
to the  consolidated  balance sheets of Culp, Inc. and subsidiaries as of May 2,
2004 and April 27,  2003,  and the  related  consolidated  statements  of income
(loss),  shareholders'  equity  and  cash  flows  for  each of the  years in the
three-year  period ended May 2, 2004,  which  report  appears in the May 2, 2004
annual report on Form 10-K of Culp,  Inc. Our report refers to a change from the
lower of  last-in,  first-out  (LIFO)  cost or market to the lower of  first-in,
first-out (FIFO) cost or market of valuing inventory.


\S\ KPMG LLP


Greensboro, North Carolina
July 15, 2004