With a v,iew to st.udying the~ffect of bulky substituents in the cross-linking molecule on the phY~lco-chemlcal properties of reacted cellulose, 1 :3-dichloro-2-propanol and its acetyl, propionyl, and butyryl esters have been reacted with cellulose. Two cotton fabrics have bee~used: (i) a casement cloth of open structure and (ii) a poplin fabric of closed construction.The presence, of cross-links and the retention of the ester groups in the cross-links have been~stabhshed by the determination of the insolubility of the treated cellulose in cupr~mmontum hydroxide and the estimation of the ester contents. The effect of thẽ ubshtuent~ster gro~ps on the reactivity of these compounds and the resulting changes In the phYSlc~-chemlcal properties of the treated fabrics, such as dry and wet crease recovery, tensile strength, tear strength, stiffness as bending length, moisture regain, etc., have been assessed. It has been found that the cross-linking reactivity of these compounds decreases with the increase in molecular weight. Besides this, the ester group exerts ?distinct influence on the various properties mentioned above. It is observed that the Improved wet crease recovery, increased moisture regain, and stiffness of the fabrics treated with these compounds are inversely related to the increasing molecular weight of the substituent ester group. Similarly the losses in tensile and tear strength and the decrease in dry crease recovery become less as the molecular weight of the substituent ester group increases. Further work with heavier substituent groups is in progress.