<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2014-01-31</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000100726</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>UNIFI INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>UFI</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000905874</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>LANGONE KENNETH G</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>375 PARK AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>STE 2205</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10152</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>COMMON STOCK</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2014-01-31</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>5000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>23.28</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>20000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>by Wife</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>COMMON STOCK</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>100000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>by Invemed Associates LLC</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>COMMON STOCK</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>953229</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The Reporting Person's wife executed a trade order through a broker-dealer which resulted in multiple same-day same-way open market purchases, with the prices ranging from $23.02 to $23.48/share.  The Reporting Person has reported these purchases on an aggregate basis using the weighted average price for the transactions and will provide detailed breakouts upon request.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The Reporting Person disclaims beneficial ownership of the securities held by his wife, and this report should not be deemed an admission that the Reporting Person is the beneficial owner of his wife's securities for purposes of Section 16 or for any other purposes.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The Reporting Person is the principal equity holder and President and CEO of Invemed Associates, LLC.  Pursuant to Instruction (4)(b)(iv) of Form 4, the Reporting Person has elected to report as indirectly beneficially owned the entire number of securities beneficially owned by such entity.  The Reporting Person disclaims beneficial ownership of any securities, and any proceeds thereof, that exceed his pecuniary interest therein and/or are not actually distributed to him.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/S/Kenneth G. Langone by Ben Sirmons, POA</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2014-02-03</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
