Abstract: A process for the discontinuous or (preferably) continuous production of dry spun hydrophilic acrylic fibers and threads with a core/sheath structure which have improved color fastness properties, more uniform cross-sections and better processing characteristics. By employing a new after-treatment combination of more intensive counterflow washing, stretching in steam, fixing in steam and careful drying of the fibers as staple fibers, improved hydrophilic fibers with a water retention capacity above 30% can be obtained from spinning solutions which have a much lower non-solvent content than is necessary in the present-state of the art for obtaining a high water retention capacity of the order indicated above.