Merchants
National                         BORROWER
Bank                       HAMPSHIRE GROUP LIMITED
102 East 3rd Street
Post Office Box 248                                               VARIABLE
RATE
Winona, Minnesota 55987-0248
(507) 457-1100                                                   COMMERCIAL
"Lender"
                                                                 PROMISSORY
                                 ADDRESS
                             PO BOX 2667
                                                                     NOTE
                             ANDERSON, SC           29621
                             TELEPHONE NO.                   IDENTIFICATION NO;
                                                             06-0967107

OFFICER   INTEREST     PRINCIPAL    FUNDING  MATURITY   CUSTOMER  LOAN
INITIALS   RATE         AMOUNT       DATE      DATE      NUMBER   NUMBER
  002     VARIABLE  $3,000,000.00  09/20/00  09/20/05             4450383

                                 PROMISE TO PAY

For value received,  Borrower  promises to pay to the order of Lender  indicated
above the principal  amount of THREE MILLION AND NO/1OO Dollars  ($3,000,000.00)
plus  interest  on the  unpaid  principal  balance at the rate and in the manner
described  below.  All amounts received by Lender shall be applied first to late
payment charges and expenses, then to accrued interest, and then to principal or
in any other order as determined  by Lender,  in Lender's  sole  discretion,  as
permitted by law.

INTEREST RATE: This Note has a variable  interest rate feature.  Interest on the
Note may change from time to time if the Index Rate  identified  below  changes.
Interest  shall be  computed  on the basis of 360 days and the actual  number of
days per year.  Interest  on this Note shall be  calculated  at a variable  rate
equal to 250 /1000 percent  (0.250%) per annum over the Index Rate.  The initial
Index Rate is Nine and 500/1000 percent (9.500%) per annum. The initial interest
rate on this Note shall be Nine and  750/100  percent  (9.75%)  per  annum.  Any
change in the interest  rate  resulting  from a change in the Index Rate will be
effective on: SEPTEMBER 20, 2001 AND ADJUSTS ANNUALLY THEREAFTER.

INDEX RATE: The Index Rate for this Note shall be:

      FIRSTAR BANK OF MILWAUKEE, N.A. PRIME RATE

MINIMUM  RATE/MAXIMUM  RATE: The minimum interest rate on this Note shall be n/a
percent ( n/a%) per  annum.  The  maximum  interest  rate on this Note shall not
exceed  TWENTY-ONE  AND  750/1000  percent ( 21.750%)  per annum of the  maximum
interest rate Lender is permitted to charge by law, whichever is less.

POST-MATURITY RATE: [X] If checked,  this loan is for at least $100,000.00,  and
after  maturity,  due to scheduled  maturity or  acceleration,  past due amounts
shall bear interest at the lesser of: THE INTEREST RATE AT THE TIME OF MATURITY,
or the maximum interest rate Lender is permitted to charge by law.

PAYMENT SCHEDULE: Borrower shall pay the principal and interest according to the
following schedule:

     9 PAYMENTS  OF  $301,940.81  BEGINNING  MARCH 20,  2001 AND  CONTINUING  AT
     SEMI-ANNUAL  TIME  INTERVALS  THEREAFTER.  A FINAL  PAYMENT  OF THE  UNPAID
     PRINCIPAL  BALANCE,  PLUS ACCRUED  INTEREST IS DUE AND PAYABLE ON SEPTEMBER
     20, 2005. 1IF THE INTEREST RATE CHANGES,  THE PAYMENT AMOUNTS MAY CHANGE IN
     AN AMOUNT  SUFFICIENT  TO REPAY THE  UNPAID  PRINCIPAL  OVER THE  SCHEDULED
     AMORTIZATION TERM.

All payments will be made to Lender at its address described above and in lawful
currency of the United States of America.  RENEWAL: If checked, [ ] this Note is
a renewal of Loan Number ______ , and not in payment of that Note.

SECURITY:  To secure the payment and  performance of obligations  incurred under
this Note,  Borrower  grants  Lender a security  interest  in, and  pledges  and
assigns to Lender all of Borrower's rights,  title, and interest, in all monies,
instruments,  savings,  checking  and  other  deposit  accounts  of  Borrower's,
(excluding  IRA, Keogh and trust accounts and deposits  subject to tax penalties
if so  assigned)  that are now or in the future in Lender's  custody or control.
Upon default, and to the extent permitted by applicable law, Lender may exercise
any or all of its rights or  remedies  as a secured  party with  respect to such
property  which rights and remedies shall be in addition to all other rights and
remedies granted to Lender including,  without  limitation,  Lender's common law
right of  setoff.  [X] If  checked,  the  obligations  under  this Note are also
secured by a lien and/or  security  interest in the  property  described  in the
documents  executed in connection  with this Note as well as any other  property
designated as security now or in the future.

PREPAYMENT:  This  Note  may be  prepaid  in part or in  full on or  before  its
maturity date. If this Note contains more than one installment,  all prepayments
will be credited as  determined  by Lender and as permitted by law. If this Note
is prepaid in full, there will be: [ X ] No prepayment penalty. [ ] A prepayment
penalty of ______ % of the principal prepaid.

LATE CHARGE:  If a payment is received more than 10 days late,  Borrower will be
charged a late  charge  of: [X] 5.00 % of the unpaid  payment;  [ ] $_______  or
_______% of the unpaid payment, whichever is [ ] greater [ ] less.

BORROWER  ACKNOWLEDGES  THAT BORROWER HAS READ,  UNDERSTANDS,  AND AGREES TO THE
TERMS AND  CONDITIONS OF THIS NOTE INCLUDING THE PROVISIONS ON THE REVERSE SIDE.
BORROWER ACKNOWLEDGES RECEIPT OF AN EXACT COPY OF THIS NOTE.

  NOTEDATE:     SEPTEMBER 20, 2000

  BORROWER: HAMPSHIRE GROUP, LIMITED            BORROWER:

  /s/ Charles W. Clayton
  ----------------------------------            ------------------------------
  Charles W. Clayton, CFO

  BORROWER:                                     BORROWER:

  ----------------------------------            ------------------------------

  BORROWER:                                     BORROWER:


  ----------------------------------            ------------------------------

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

     1.  DEFAULT:  Borrower will be in default under this Note in the event that
Borrower or any guarantor or any other third party:

     (a) fails to make any  payment  on this Note or any other  indebtedness  to
Lender when due;

     (b) fails to perform any obligation or breaches any warranty or covenant to
Lender  contained in this Note or any other present or future written  agreement
regarding this or any indebtedness of Borrower to Lender;

     (c) provides or causes any false or misleading  signature or representation
to be provided to Lender;

     (d) allows the collateral  securing this Note (if any) to be lost,  stolen,
destroyed,  damaged  in  any  material  respect,  or  subjected  to  seizure  or
confiscation;

     (e) permits the entry or service of any  garnishment,  judgment,  tax levy,
attachment or lien against Borrower, any guarantor,  or any of their property or
the Collateral;

     (f) dies, becomes legally incompetent,  is dissolved or terminated,  ceases
to operate its business,  becomes insolvent, makes an assignment for the benefit
of  creditors,  fails to pay debts as they become due, or becomes the subject of
any bankruptcy, insolvency or debtor rehabilitation proceeding; or

     (g) causes Lender to deem itself  insecure for any reason,  or Lender,  for
any reason, in good faith deems itself insecure.

     2.  RIGHTS OF LENDER ON  DEFAULT:  If there is a default  under  this Note,
Lender  will be  entitled  to  exercise  one or more of the  following  remedies
without notice or demand (except as required by law):

     (a) to declare the principal  amount plus accrued  interest under this Note
and all other present and future  obligations  of Borrower  immediately  due and
payable in full;

     (b) to collect the  outstanding  obligations  of  Borrower  with or without
resorting to judicial process;

     (c) to take possession of any collateral in any manner permitted by law;

     (d) to  require  Borrower  to  deliver  and make  available  to Lender  any
collateral at a place reasonably convenient to Borrower and Lender;

     (e) to sell,  lease or otherwise  dispose of any collateral and collect any
deficiency balance with or without resorting to legal process;

     (f) to set-off Borrower's  obligations  against any amounts due to Borrower
including,  but  not  limited  to  monies,  instruments,  and  deposit  accounts
maintained with Lender; and

     (g) to  exercise  all other  rights  available  to  Lender  under any other
written agreement or applicable law.

Lender's rights are cumulative and may be exercised together, separately, and in
any order.  Lender's  remedies  under this  paragraph  are in  addition to those
available at common law, including, but not limited to, the right of set-off.

     3. DEMAND FEATURE:  If this Note contains a demand feature,  Lender's right
to demand payment, at any time, and from time to time, shall be in Lender's sole
and absolute discretion, whether or not any default has occurred.

     4.  FINANCIAL  INFORMATION:  Borrower  will  provide  Lender  with  current
financial statements and other financial information (including, but not limited
to, balance sheets and profit and loss statements) upon request.

     5. MODIFICATION AND WAIVER: The modification or waiver of any of Borrower's
obligations  or Lender's  rights  under this Note must be contained in a writing
signed by Lender.  Lender may perform any of Borrower's  obligations or delay or
fail to exercise any of its rights without causing a waiver of those obligations
or rights.  A waiver on one occasion  will not  constitute a waiver on any other
occasion. Borrower's obligations under this Note shall not be affected if Lender
amends,  compromises,  exchanges,  fails to exercise, impairs or releases any of
the  obligations  belonging to any co-borrower or guarantor or any of its rights
against any co-borrower, guarantor or collateral.

     6. SEVERABILITY AND INTEREST  LIMITATION:  If any provision of this Note is
invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality, and enforceability of
the remaining  provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired  thereby.
Notwithstanding  anything  contained in this Note to the  contrary,  in no event
shall interest accrue under this Note,  before or after  maturity,  at a rate in
excess  of the  highest  rate  permitted  by  applicable  law,  and if  interest
(including  any  charge  or fee  held to be  interest  by a court  of  competent
jurisdiction)  in excess thereof be paid, any excess shall  constitute a payment
of, and be applied  to,  the  principal  balance  hereof,  and if the  principal
balance has been fully paid, then such interest shall be repaid to the Borrower.

     7.  ASSIGNMENT:  Borrower will not be entitled to assign any of its rights,
remedies or obligations described in this Note without the prior written consent
of Lender which may be withheld by Lender in its sole discretion. Lender will be
entitled to assign some or all of its rights and remedies described in this Note
without notice to or the prior consent of Borrower in any manner.

     8. NOTICE: Any notice or other  communication to be provided to Borrower or
Lender  under  this Note  shall be in  writing  and sent to the  parties  at the
addresses  described  in this Note or such  other  address  as the  parties  may
designate in writing from time to time.

     9.  APPLICABLE  LAW:  This Note shall be  governed by the laws of the state
indicated in Lender's  address.  Borrower consents to the jurisdiction and venue
of any court located in the state indicated in Lender's  address in the event of
any legal proceeding  pertaining to the negotiation,  execution,  performance or
enforcement of any term or condition  contained in this Note or any related loan
document and agrees not to commence or seek to remove such legal  proceeding  in
or to a different court.

     10.  COLLECTION  COSTS: If Lender hires an attorney to assist in collecting
any amount due or enforcing any right or remedy under this Note, Borrower agrees
to pay Lender's  attorney's fees, to the extent permitted by applicable law, and
collection costs.

     11.  RETURNED  CHECK:  If a check for payment is returned to Lender for any
reason, Lender will charge an additional fee of $20.00.

     12. MISCELLANEOUS:  This Note is being executed for commercial/agricultural
purposes. Borrower and Lender agree that time is of the essence. Borrower waives
presentment,  demand for  payment,  notice of dishonor  and  protest.  If Lender
obtains a judgment for any amount due under this Note,  interest  will accrue on
the judgment at the judgment rate of interest  permitted by law. All  references
to Borrower in this Note shall include all of the parties  signing this Note. If
there is more than one Borrower,  their  obligations  will be joint and several.
This Note and any  related  documents  represent  the  complete  and  integrated
understanding between Borrower and Lender pertaining to the terms and conditions
of those documents.

     13. JURY TRIAL WAIVER: BORROWER HEREBY WAIVES ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN
ANY CIVIL  ACTION  ARISING  OUT OF, OR BASED UPON,  THIS NOTE OR THE  COLLATERAL
SECURING THIS NOTE.

     14. ADDITIONAL TERMS:

       PURPOSE: FUND PURCHASE OF ITEM EYES INC.



Merchants
National                                             BORROWER
Bank                                                 HAMPSHIRE GROUP LIMITED
102 East 3rd Street
Post Office Box 248                                  COMMERCIAL/
Winona, Minnesota 55987-0248                         AGRICULTURAL
(507) 457-1100                                       SECURITY
"Lender"                                             SUMMARY

                              ADDRESS
                              PO BOX 2667

                              ANDERSON, SC           29621
                              TELEPHONE NO.                 IDENTIFICATION NO.
                                                                 06-0967107


OFFICER   INTEREST     PRINCIPAL    FUNDING  MATURITY   CUSTOMER  LOAN
INITIALS   RATE         AMOUNT       DATE      DATE      NUMBER   NUMBER
  002     VARIABLE  $3,000,000.00  09/20/00  09/20/05             4450383

In  connection  with the note  described  above,  the  Borrower  and/or Owner of
Collateral  has  granted  to  Lender  a  security  interest  in  the  collateral
summarized  below. A detailed  description of the collateral is contained in the
original documents referenced in the summary.

    LOAN AGREEMENT DATED 09/20/00


Initials   CWC