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                                                                    EXHIBIT 31.1

              CERTIFICATION OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER PURSUANT TO
                 SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT RULES 13a-14 AND 15d-14
                             AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO
                  SECTION 302 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

         I, Michael Kagan, Chief Executive Officer of Tropical Sportswear Int'l
Corporation, certify that:

      1.     I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K of Tropical
             Sportswear Int'l Corporation;

      2.     Based on my knowledge, this annual report does not contain any
             untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material
             fact necessary to make the statement made, in light of the
             circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading
             with respect to the period covered by this annual report;

      3.     Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other
             financial information included in this annual report, fairly
             present in all material respects the financial condition, results
             of operations and cash flows of registrant as of, and for, the
             periods presented in this annual report;

      4.     The registrant's other certifying officers and I are responsible
             for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures
             (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14) for the
             registrant and we have:

             a) Designed such disclosure controls and procedures to ensure that
             material information relating to the registrant, including its
             consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within
             those entities, particularly during the period in which this annual
             report is being prepared;

             b) Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure
             controls and procedures as of the date within 90 days prior to the
             filing date of this annual report (the "Evaluation Date"); and

             c) Presented in this annual report our conclusions about the
             effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures based on
             our evaluation as of the Evaluation Date;

      5.     The registrant's other certifying officers and I have disclosed,
             based on our most recent evaluation, to the registrant's auditors
             and that the audit committee of the registrant's board of
             directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

                  a) All significant deficiencies in the design or operation of
                  internal controls which could adversely affect the
                  registrant's ability to record, process, summarize and report
                  financial data and have identified for the registrant's
                  auditors any material weaknesses in internal controls; and

                  b) Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves
                  management or other employees

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                  who have a significant role in the registrant's internal
                  controls; and

      6.     The registrant's other certifying officers and I have indicated in
             this annual report whether there were significant changes in
             internal controls or in other factors that could significantly
             affect internal controls subsequent to the date of our most recent
             evaluation, including any corrective actions with regard to
             significant deficiencies and material weaknesses.

      Date:  January 12, 2004

                                            By: /s/ Michael Kagan
                                                ----------------------
                                                Michael Kagan
                                                Chief Executive Officer