Process for preparing wash-wear and durable press cottons which will absorb optical brighteners from laundry detergents under home laundry conditions

Claim 2

A process for preparing a cross-linked cellulosic fabric containing an optical brightener, comprising: a. mixing, with a conventional aqueous cross-linking bath containing an acidic catalyst and a cross-linking agent having methylol groups, about from 5 to 15 weight percent of an alcoholic member selected from the group consisting of an alkylethyleneoxide alcohol and an alkylethyleneoxide glycol and in which member the alkyl group contains about from 4 to 25 carbon atoms and the ethylene oxide units consist of about from 10 to 80 weight percent of the member; b. padding a cellulosic fabric with the mixture of (a); c. curing the padded fabric from (b) to effect reaction between the methylol groups of the cross-linking agent and the alcohol groups of the alcoholic member and thereby permanently bind said alcoholic member to the cellulose of the fabric; and d. padding the cured fabric from (c) with a solution containing about 0.5 weight percent of an optical brightener.

Claim 3

The product produced by the process of claim 3.