An investigation has been made on the cyanoethylation of cotton fabric using aqueous sodium hydroxide with acrylonitrile in presence of solvents acetone and ethanol at different concentrations. The hydrolysis of beta-cyanoethyl ether of cyanoethylated fabric in presence of solvents is studied. The rate of hydrolysis is enhanced by acetone and ethanol concentration. The formation of various products during hydrolysis is analyzed by infrared spectroscopy method while scanning electron microscopy follows the variations in surface morphology. Some of the physical and chemical properties are also studied. (c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.