Pluma, Inc.
January 30, 1997
Page 1

                      Allman Spry Leggett & Crumpler, P.A.
                        ATTORNEYS AND COUNSELLORS AT LAW

                         380 Knollwood Street, Suite 700
                    Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27103-4152


Telephone                                              Mailing Address
(910) 722-2300                                         P.O. Drawer 5129
                                                       Zip Code 27113-5129
Facsimile
(910) 721-0414

                                January 30, 1997


Pluma, Inc.
801 Fieldcrest Road
Eden, NC 27288

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     This opinion is furnished in connection with the  registration  pursuant to
the  Securities  Act of 1933, as amended (the  "Securities  Act"),  of 3,542,000
shares (the  "Shares") of common stock, no par value, of Pluma, Inc., a North
Carolina corporation (the "Company").

     In connection with rendering this opinion, we have examined the Articles of
Incorporation  and Bylaws of the Company,  each as amended to date; such records
of  the  corporate   proceedings  of  the  Company  as  we  deemed  material;  a
registration  statement  on Form S-1 under the  Securities  Act  relating to the
Shares, File No. 333-18755 (as amended, the "Registration  Statement"),  and the
prospectus  contained therein (the  "Prospectus"),  and such other certificates,
receipts,  records and documents as we considered  necessary for the purposes of
this opinion.

     We are attorneys  admitted to practice in the State of North  Carolina.  We
express no opinion  concerning the laws of any jurisdiction  other than the laws
of the United States of America and the State of North Carolina.




Pluma, Inc.
January 30, 1997
Page 2

     Based upon the  foregoing,  we are of the opinion that when the Shares have
been issued and paid for in  accordance  with the terms of the  Prospectus,  the
Shares will be legally issued, fully paid and nonassessable shares.

     The foregoing assumes that all requisite steps will be taken to comply with
the requirements of the Securities Act and applicable  requirements of the state
laws regulating the offer and sale of securities.

     We hereby  consent  to the  filing of this  opinion  as an  exhibit  to the
Registration Statement and to the reference to our firm under the caption "Legal
Matters" in the Prospectus.

                                        Very truly yours,

                                        ALLMAN SPRY LEGGETT & CRUMPLER, P.A.





                                       By:
                                           -----------------------------------
                                           Terry Crumpler