TREATMENT OF FABRICS

摘要

Fibrous cellulosic material is treated by applying an aqueous solution including a polycarboxylic acid cross-linking agent and a hydroxycarboxylic acid, particularly an aromatic ortho-hydroxy carboxylic acid, especially salicylic acid or salt particularly alkali metal ammonium or alkaline earth metal salts, as an esterification catalyst, drying the fabric and heating it to promote cross-linking esterification of the polycarboxylic acid and the cellulose of the fibrous cellulosic material to give fabric with improved wrinkle and/or crease and/or shrink resistance and/or smooth drying properties. The method has the advantage that it does not use formaldehyde derivatives and thus the operation of the method and treated materials do not release formaldehyde during manufacture or use and the catalysts do not contain or use phosphorus containing compounds.