Process for fixing dyes in textile materials

A process for fixing a dye to a dyed fine-dimensional yarn fabric made from the group consisting of a polyamide-containing substrate, segmented polyester-polyurethane substrate, and combinations thereof, comprising contacting said fabric with an aqueous solution comprising a dye-fixative composition substantially free of phenol and formaldehyde residues, said dye-fixative composition comprising a copolymer of:

• a) 1.0 to about 20 percent by weight of vinyl sulfonic acid residues;
• b) 5 to 20 percent by weight of nonpolar or hydrophobic (meth)acrylic monomer residues;
• and
• c) 60 to about 94 percent by weight of hydrophilic ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid residues, the copolymers having a weight average molecular weight of from about 1,500 to about 15,000, said contacting step being for a time sufficient so that said dye-fixative composition is absorbed by said fabric.