EXHIBIT 5.1

                             [MCGUIREWOODS LLP LOGO]

                        Bank of America Corporate Center
                       100 North Tryon Street, Suite 2900
                      Charlotte, North Carolina 28202-4011
                 Telephone/TDB (704) 373-8999 Fax (704) 373-8935

                                December 26, 2000

Cox Technologies, Inc.
69 McAdenville Road
Belmont, North Carolina 28012

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     We have acted as counsel  to Cox  Technologies,  Inc.  (the  "Company")  in
connection  with the filing with the  Securities  and Exchange  Commission  of a
registration  statement on Form S-8 (the "Registration  Statement")  relating to
the  Cox  Technologies,  Inc.  2000  Stock  Incentive  Plan  (the  "Plan").  The
Registration Statement covers 8,000,000 shares of Common Stock, no par value per
share, of the Company (the "Common Stock") which have been reserved for issuance
under the Plan.

     In reaching the opinion stated in this letter,  we have reviewed  originals
of copies of the Registration  Statement,  the Articles of Incorporation and the
Bylaws of the Company,  both as amended to date, and such other  documents as we
have considered relevant.  We have assumed that (i) all information contained in
all documents  reviewed by us is correct,  (ii) all  signatures on all documents
reviewed by us and genuine, (iii) all documents submitted to us as originals are
true and  complete,  (iv) all  documents  submitted to us as copies are true and
complete  copies of the originals  thereof,  (v) each natural person signing any
document  reviewed by us had the legal  capacity to do so and (vi) each  natural
person  signing in a  representative  capacity any  document  reviewed by us had
authority to sign in such capacity.

     Based upon the foregoing,  we are of the opinion that the 8,000,000  shares
of Common Stock, when issued or sold in accordance with the terms and provisions
of  the  Plan,  will  be  duly  authorized,   validly  issued,  fully  paid  and
non-assessable.

     We hereby  consent  to the filing of this  opinion  as  Exhibit  5.1 to the
Registration  Statement.  We do not admit by giving this  consent that we are in
the  category  of persons  whose  consent  is  required  under  Section 7 of the
Securities Act of 1933.

                                Very truly yours,

                                /s/ McGuireWoods LLP