Treatment of animal fibre

Increased resistance to microbiological attack is imparted to material consisting wholly or partly of animal fibre, e.g. wool, silk and leather, by subjecting it to the action of an aqueous acid solution containing a methylol derivative or etherified methylol derivative of urea or thiourea which is stable in acid solution, freeing the material from acid by rinsing and then drying. The condensation products used are of the "reactant" type and may be dimethylol ethylene urea, dimethylol dihydroxy ethylene urea, a stabilized urea- or thiourea formaldehyde condensate obtained from urea or thiourea and at least four molecules of formaldehyde, including ureas such as dimethoxy methyl urea, 1,3-dimethylol tetrahydro - 5 - ethyl - s - tri - azione, 1,3 - dimethylol - tetrahydro - 5 - hydroxy ethyl - s - triazone, 1,3 - dimethylol tetrahydro - 5 - methyl - s - triazione tetramethylol - 5 - ethylenebistetrahydro - s - triazione. The material may be steeped in a bath of the acid solution adjusted to a pH of 1-4 by the addition of formic, acetic, oxalic, phospheric, sulphuric, hydrochloric or nitric acid at room temperature or at temperatures of 50-100 DEG C. for 1-6 hours. Before, during or after the treatment with the acid solution the fibres may be treated with finishing agents, e.g. cellulose ethers or vinyl or acrylic polymers containing hydroxy or aldehyde groups. Specifications 658,994, 669,442, 679,386 and 727,660 also are referred to.ALSO:Material consisting wholly or partly of animal fibre, e.g wool, silk and leather, is given an increased resistance to degradation by alkali, urea bisulphite, sodium sulphide and sodium hypochlorite solutions and is increased in weight by subjecting it to the action of an aqueous acid solution containing a methylol derivative and etherified methanylol derivative of a urea or thiourea which is stable in acid solution, freeing the material from acid by rinsing and then drying. The condensation products used are of the "reactant" type and may be dimethylol ethylene urea, dimethyloldihydroxy ethylene urea, a stabilized urea-or thiourea formaldehyde condensate obtained from urea or thiourea and at least four molecules of formaldehyde including ureas such as dimethoxymethyl urea 1, 3-dimethylol-tetrahydro-5-ethyl-s-triazinone,1,3 dimenthylol-tetrahydro-5-hydroxyethyl-s-triazinone, 1, 3-dimethyloltetrahydro-5-methyl-s-triazinone and tetramethylol-5-ethylene-bis-tetrahydro-s-triazinone. The material may be steeped in a bath of the ac