Abstract: A fabric comprising cotton and/or keratinous fibers, e.g., wool, is treated to impart wash and wear characteristics including dimensional stability by contact of said fabric with hot, aqueous, relatively concentrated solution of a sulfite for a time sufficient to impart said wash and wear characteristics to said fabric. A preferred sulfite is aluminum sulfite and preferred treatment conditions comprise contact of the fabric with a boiling solution containing from about 10% to 20% by weight of the sulfite for a time of from 5 to 15 minutes. Preferably the solution also contains sodium carbonate in an amount of about 1% to 50% by weight, preferably from about 5% to about 20% by weight, based on the amount of sulfite.