A process for the hydrophilic finishing of fibers based on polyolefins or polyester using Zuckerester ethoxylates

The invention relates to a method for the hydrophilic finishing of fibres which exclusively contain polyolefins or polyester. A mixture which contains (a) mostly polyolefins or polyester and (b) 0.01 to 10 wt.% in relation to the sum of polyolefin or polyester of a composition which contains at least one compound from the class of sugar ester ethoxylates is subjected to a usual forming processing method to produce fibres, atemperatures of 180 DEG to 320 DEG C. According to the invention, (i) there no measured doses of transition metal compounds are added to said mixture being subjected to said forming processing, before or during the forming processing, (ii) said sugar ester ethoxylates (b) are addition products of 4 to 30 mol ethylene oxide per mol sugar esters, sugar esters being conversion products of mono- and/or oligosaccharides and/or sugar alcohols with fatty acids with 8-18 C-atoms and (iii) said sugar ester ethoxylates (b) need at least four cycles in the individual wetting test until they fail.