Exhibit 4.1

                             COX TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

                      NON-QUALIFIED STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT

     THIS NON-QUALIFIED STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT ("Option Agreement"), dated as of
the 10th day of August,  2000,  is by and between  Cox  Technologies,  Inc.,  an
Arizona corporation (the "Company"), and the undersigned (the "Optionee"):

     WHEREAS,  the Optionee is a member of the  Company's  Executive  Management
Committee (the "Executive Management Committee"); and

     WHEREAS,  the Board of  Directors  of the  Company  (the  "Board")  and the
Company's Compensation Committee (the "Compensation  Committee") have determined
that it is in the best interest of the Company to grant members of the Executive
Management Committee certain stock options;

     NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises,  covenants and agreements
contained  herein,  the parties hereto hereby  mutually  covenant,  contract and
agree as follows:

     1. GRANT OF OPTION.  The Company hereby grants to the Optionee an option to
purchase a total of 500,000 shares of Common Stock of the Company (the "Shares")
at an exercise  price of $0.59375  per share (the  "Option").  The Option is not
intended  to be an  incentive  stock  option  described  in  section  422 of the
Internal  Revenue  Code of 1986,  as  amended  (the  "Code"),  and  this  Option
Agreement shall be construed to implement that intent.

     2. VESTING OF OPTION.  The Option  shall be  exercisable  immediately  with
respect to all 500,000 of the Shares.

     3. EXPIRATION DATE. The Optionee's rights under this Option Agreement shall
expire on August 10, 2010.

     4.  EXERCISE  UPON  DEATH.  The Option of an  Optionee  who dies before the
Option has been  exercised,  may be exercised  until the expiration  date of the
Option by the  Optionee's  estate or by the  person  who  acquired  the right to
exercise  the  Option by bequest  or  inheritance  by reason of the death of the
Optionee.

     5. METHOD OF EXERCISE. The Option shall be exercised by the tender of cash,
or, at the  discretion  of the  Company,  by delivery of shares of Common  Stock
already  owned by  Optionee  or a  combination  of cash or such shares of Common
Stock,  or through such other means that the Company  determines are acceptable,
and  delivery  to the  Company at its  principal  place of business of a written
notice of exercise,  at least five (5) days prior to the date of  exercise.  The
written notice must:

          (a) State the  election  to exercise  the Option,  the number of whole
     Shares with respect to which the Option is being  exercised  (which may not
     be less  than  ten  thousand  (10,000)  Shares,  unless  the  number  being
     exercised  is the  balance  of the number of Shares  that may be  exercised
     under the Option), the method of exercise elected by the Optionee,  and the
     name,  address,  and social security number of the person in whose name the
     stock certificate for such Shares is to be registered;

          (b) be signed by the person  entitled to exercise  the Option,  and if
     the  Option is being  exercised  by any  person or  persons  other than the
     Optionee,  be accompanied  by proof,  satisfactory  to the Company,  of the
     right of such person or persons to exercise the Option; and

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          (c) be delivered by hand or by registered or certified  mail,  postage
     pre-paid,  return receipt requested, to the Company's principal place of or
     to such other  location as may be  specified in writing by the Company from
     time to time.

Within  ten  (10)  days  after  the  Company  receives  such  notice  in a  form
satisfactory  to the Company and the  acceptance  of payment,  the Company shall
deliver  to  the  Optionee  a  certificate  representing  the  Shares  purchased
hereunder.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may delay delivery of the
certificate  for Shares  purchased  hereunder  until (i) the  admission  of such
shares to listing on any stock  exchange on which the shares may then be listed,
(ii)  receipt  of  any  required  representation  by you  or  completion  of any
registration  or other  qualification  of such shares under any state or federal
law or  regulation  that the Company's  counsel shall  determine as necessary or
advisable,  or (iii)  receipt  by the  Company  of  advice by  counsel  that all
applicable legal  requirements  have been complied with and that delivery of the
certificate  will not adversely affect the federal or state income tax treatment
of the Company.  As a condition of exercising the Option, you may be required to
execute a customary written  indication of your investment intent and such other
agreements  as the Company  deems  necessary or  appropriate  to comply with any
applicable laws or regulations.

     6. OTHER RESTRICTIONS. The Optionee shall not be entitled to the privileges
of stock  ownership of any Shares  subject to the Option until payment  therefor
has been made in full as provided in the Option.  An Option may be exercised and
certificates  for Shares may be delivered  hereunder only in compliance with all
applicable federal and state laws and regulations.  Any Share certificate issued
to  evidence  Shares  for which the Option is  exercised  may bear  legends  and
statements  the Company deems  advisable to assure  compliance  with federal and
state laws and regulations and this Option Agreement.

     7. WITHHOLDING. Optionee agrees to pay, or make arrangements satisfactory
to the Company regarding payment of applicable withholding taxes on the exercise
of the Option.

     8. BINDING EFFECT. This Agreement shall be binding upon the heirs,
executors, administrators and successors of the parties hereto.

     9. APPLICABLE LAW. This Option Agreement shall be construed under and the
relationship  between the parties  determined in accordance with the laws of the
State of North Carolina  applicable to contracts made and to be performed in the
State of North  Carolina,  without  reference  to the  laws of any  other  state
through any principles concerning choice or conflict of laws.

     10.  CONSTRUCTION.  The  unenforceability or invalidity of any provision of
this Option  Agreement  shall not affect the  enforceability  or validity of any
other  provision.  The parties may sign separate copies of this Option Agreement
which,  taken  together,  will be deemed to constitute a valid  agreement.  This
Option Agreement may be signed in counterparts,  each of which will be deemed an
original  and all of which  will  constitute  one and the same  agreement.  This
Option Agreement sets forth the entire understanding of the parties with respect
to the subject matter hereof.

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     IN WITNESS WHEREOF,  the parties hereto have executed this Option Agreement
effective as of the day and year first above written.


                                        COX TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

                                        /s/ Brian D. Fletcher
                                        ----------------------------------------
                                        Name:  Brian D. Fletcher
                                        Title: Chief Operating Officer


                                        OPTIONEE:

                                        /s/ James L. Cox
                                        ----------------------------------------
                                        James L. Cox

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