EXHIBIT 5 HUNTON & WILLIAMS Riverfront Plaza, East Tower 951 East Byrd Street Richmond, Virginia 23219-4074 Telephone (804) 788-8200 Facsimile (804) 788-8218 File No.: 26193.000066 Direct Dial: (804) 788-8269 May 24, 1996 Board of Directors Tultex Corporation 101 Commonwealth Boulevard Martinsville, VA 24112 Registration Statement on Form S-8 Tultex Corporation 1996 Stock Incentive Plan Ladies and Gentlemen: We are counsel for Tultex Corporation (the "Company") in connection with the registration under the Securities Act of 1933 of 750,000 shares of its common stock (the "Common Stock") to be issued as described in the Company's Registration Statement on Form S-8 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and relating to the Company's 1996 Stock Incentive Plan. In connection with the filing of the Registration Statement you have requested our opinion concerning certain corporate matters. We are of the opinion that: 1. The Company is a corporation duly incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia. 2. The Common Stock has been duly authorized and, when the shares have been issued as described in the Registration Statement, will be legally issued, fully paid and nonassessable. We consent to the filing of this opinion with the Commission as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the references to us in the Prospectus included therein. In giving this consent, we do not admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required by Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933 or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Very truly yours, /s/ Hunton & Williams