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                                                                     EXHIBIT 5.1

                               [UNIFI LETTERHEAD]


August 7, 2000


Unifi, Inc.
7201 West Friendly Avenue
Greensboro, NC  27410

RE:      Registration Statement on Form S-8 of the 1999 Unifi, Inc. Long-Term
         Incentive Plan

Gentlemen:

         I am the Corporate Secretary and General Counsel of Unifi, Inc., a New
York corporation ("Corporation"). In that capacity I have acted as Counsel for
the Corporation in connection with the registration on Form S-8 (the
"Registration Statement") filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission") of the 1999 Unifi, Inc. Long-Term Incentive Plan. This opinion
letter is Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement.

         In rendering this opinion, I have examined such documents, legal
opinions and precedents, corporate and other records of the Corporation and
certificates of public officials and officers of the Corporation as I have
deemed necessary or appropriate to provide a basis for the opinions set forth
herein. In this examination, I have assumed the genuineness of all signatures,
the authenticity of all documents submitted to be as original documents and
conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to me as certified
or photostat copies.

         Based on the foregoing, I am of the opinion that Shares of the
Corporation's Common Stock, $.10 par value, to be issued by the Corporation
pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Plan, are legally authorized, and
when such Shares shall have been issued upon the terms and conditions set forth
in the Plan, then such Shares shall be validly issued, fully paid and
nonassessable.

         I hereby consent (1) to be named in the Registration Statement as the
attorney who passed upon the legality of the Shares, and (2) to the filing of a
copy of this opinion as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement.

Very truly yours,

Charles F. McCoy
Corporate Secretary and General Counsel