Fabric treatment

1. A method of treating finished garments comprising cellulosic material so as to cause cross-linking, which comprises the step of treating fabrics with an effective amount of a blocked cross-linking agent for cellulose, said cross-linking agent being thermally activated, wherein the blocked cross-linking agent comprises a polycarboxylic acid, which is blocked by esterification with an electron withdrawing alcohol or imide to form a polyester and wherein the blocking alcohol or imide comprises one or more of:

a) trichlorophenol,

b) isoeuginol,

c) menthol,

d) 4-cyanophenol,

e) ethyl salicylate,

f) 2,6-dimethoxy phenol,

g) 4-aminophenol,

h) dimethylamino phenol, and,

i) N-hydroxysuccinimide.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the polycarboxylic acid is succinic acid, butyl tetra carboxylic acid (BTCA), 3,6-dioxaoctanedioic acid, tartaric acid, mucic acid, glutamic acid, methylamino diacetic acid, or nitriloacetic acid.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the polyester comprises one or more of:

a) trichlorophenol diester of succinic acid,

b) trichlorophenol diester of BTCA,

c) N-hydroxysuccinimide diester of succinic acid,

d) isoeugenol diester of succinic acid, and,

e) menthol diester of succinic acid.

4. A method according to claim 1 which further comprises the step of heat curing the cellulosic material.

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein heat treatment is performed at a temperature of from 50 to 250° C., more preferably at a temperature of from 100–200° C.

6. A method accord to claim 1 wherein the cross-linking agent has a molecular weight below 1500 Dalton.