Abstract: A method of processing a textile material consisting wholly or partly of keratinous fibres, characterised in that the material is treated with an aqueous composition containing at least one compound which possesses one or more ethylenic double bonds activated by two adjacent carbonyl groups. Preferred compounds include fumaric acid or maleic acid, optionally substituted with one or two halo and/or alkyl groups; or a salt, ester or amide of any said acid; or an N-substituted maleimide, optionally substituted with one or two halo and/or alkyl groups.

Abstract: Color yield of the coloration processes for textile and like materials, more especially of sublimable dyes applied by transfer printing, is enhanced by pretreatment of the material by deposition of 1 to 10% surfactant or other amphipathic substance. Preferred substances are cationic, anionic or non-ionic surfactants, which may be applied from aqueous solution at levels of 1 to 10% on the weight of the material. The material is dried before printing. The surfactants can be accompanied by swelling agents, catalysts or cross-linking agents. Preferred dyes for the printing stage are sublimable dyes containing chelatable groups, fibre-reactive groups or cross-linkable groups.