The primary effect of grafting vinyl monomers onto cotton fabrics is a substantial increase in elongation and a moderate decrease in tensile strength, the net result in many cases being an increase in toughness. In some instances the grafted fabric exhibits a significant increase in wrinkle recovery level.The increase in fabric toughness is reflected in improved abrasion resistance of the grafted fabric and also of the wrinkle resistant fabric derived therefrom by typical cross-linking treatments. The best such grafts, notably those based on diethylaminoethyl acrylate or ethyl acrylate, are able to overcome most of the loss in abrasion resistance incurred by conventional cross-linking treatment.