An aqueous composition for colouring textiles and other substrates comprises a pigment and a polymer consisting of or comprising a monomer of the formula CH2 = CH - A-R-OH where A is the element O or S, and R is an alkylene group of two to 10 carbon atoms, -C2H4AC2H4-, -C2H4N (R1)C2H4-, or -C2H4N(R2)(R3)(X)C2H4-, where R1 is H, methyl, ethyl, or -C2H4OH, R2 and R3 are methyl or ethyl, or -C2H4OH X is a negative radical, e.g. OH, Cl, Br, I, CH3SO4 or tolyl sulphonate. The compositions may contain thickening agents and/or crosslinking agents. The polymer may be a homopolymer with another monomer. Examples of monomers of the above formula are betahydroxyethyl vinyl sulphide and ether, 3-hydroxypropyl vinyl sulphide; thiodiglycol monovinyl sulphide and ether; beta-hydroxyethyl, 5-hydroxypentyl, 6-hydroxyhexyl, 8-hydroxyoctyl, 10 - hydroxydecyl, beta - hydroxyethylaminoethyl (N - beta - hydroxyethyl - N - methyl) aminoethyl vinyl ethers; hydroxyethyl-dimethyl (vinyloxyethyl) ammonium hydroxide; and diethyleneglycol monovinyl ether. A list of other monomers falling in the following classes is given: N-dialkyl acrylamides, esters of acrylic, methacrylic, and alphahaloacrylic acids, nitriles of acrylic and substituted acrylic acids, vinyl aromatic compounds, vinyl and vinylidene halides, alkyl vinyl ketones, itaconic diesters, vinyl, allyl, and methallyl esters of saturated aliphatic monocarboxylic acids, and vinyl heterocyclic compounds. Exemplified copolymers are those of n-butyl or ethyl acrylate and 5-hydroxypentyl vinyl ether, n-butyl acrylate and the monovinyl ether of diethanolamine, n-butyl acrylate and 3-hydroxypropyl vinyl ether, beta-hydroxyethyl vinyl sulphide and 6-hydroxyhexyl vinyl ether, diethyleneglycol monovinyl ether and styrene and n-propyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate and N - beta - hydroxyethyl - N - methylaminoethyl vinyl ether, ethyl acrylate and 10-hydroxydecyl vinyl ether, n-butyl acrylate and hydroxyethyldimethyl - (vinyloxyethyl) ammonium chloride, and n-propyl or n-butyl acrylate and thiodiglycol monovinyl ether. Thickening agents mentioned are gum tragacanth, polyvinyl alcohol, cellulose ethers, and partially saponified polyvinyl acetate. The pigment may be organic such as an azo compound or lake, a phthalocyanine pigment or inorganic such as carbon black, iron oxide, chrome yellow, titanium dioxide, lithopone, aluminium, bronze, brass, chromium, gold, or mixtures. Alkaline buffers such as sodium acetate, sodium carbonate, chalk, morpholine or ammonia may be added to the aqueous dispersions. The cross-linking agent may be formaldehyde, glyoxal, propandiol, N,N-ethylene urea, N,N1-dimethyl or diethyl urea, N,N1-dimethoxymethylurea, N,N1-diethoxyethylurea, tetramethoxy or tetraethoxyethylurea, N,N-dimethylmelamine, dimethoxymethyl - mono - methylol - melamine, hexamethylene - bis - N, N-ethylene urea, reaction products of formaldehyde with alkyl, alkylene, aralkyl, cycloalkyl, or aryl substitution products of biguanide obtained by reacting dicyandiamide with the hydrochloride of an alkyl-, aralkyl-, cyclo-alkyl- or aryl-amine, or di-biguanides. The crosslinking is effected by heating the pigmented composition at elevated temperature. In the absence of a cross-linking agent hardening of the composition is effected in the presence of a small amount of an acidic catalyst such as ammonium chloride or p-toluene sulphonic acid. The compositions may be used for coating textiles, paper, paperboard, wallboard, plaster walls, metal, wood, leather, stucco, cement, concrete or glass.ALSO:An aqueous composition for printing and colouring textiles and other substrates, comprises a pigment and a polymer consisting of or comprising a monomer of the formula:-CH2=CH-A-R-OH where A is the element O or S, and R is an alkylene group of two to 10 carbon atoms, -C2H4AC2H4-, -C2H4N(R1)C2H4-, or -C2H4N(R2) (R3)(X)C2H4- where R1 is H, methyl, ethyl, or -C2H4OH, R2 and R3 are methyl or ethyl, or -C2H4OH, X is a negative radical or tolyl sulphonate. The compositions may contain thickening agents and/or cross-linking agents. The polymer may be a homopolymer of a monomer of the above formula or a copolymer with another monomer. Examples of monomers of the given formula are beta-hydroxyethyl and 3-hydroxypropyl vinyl sulphides, thiodiglycol, monovinyl sulphide and ether, beta-hydroxyethyl, 5-hydroxypentyl, 6-hydroxyhexyl, 8-hydroxyoctyl, 10-hydroxydecyl, beta-hydroxyethylaminoethyl, (N-beta-hydroxyethyl-N-methyl) aminoethyl, vinyl ether, and diethyleneglycol monovinyl ether. The Specification contains an extensive list of other monomers selected from the following classes, N-dialkyl acrylamides, esters of acrylic, methacrylic, and alpha-haloacrylic acids, nitriles of acrylic and substituted acrylic acids, vinyl aromatics, vinyl and vinylidene halides, alkyl vinyl ketones, itaconic diesters, vinyl, allyl, and methallyl esters of saturated aliphatic monocarboxylic acids, and vinyl heterocyclic compounds. Exemplified copolymers are n-butyl or ethyl acrylate and 5-hydroxypentyl vinyl ether, n-butyl acrylate and the monovinyl ether of diethanolamine, n-butyl acrylate and 3-hydroxypropyl vinyl ether, beta-hydroxyethyl vinyl sulphide and 6-hydroxyhexyl vinyl ether, diethyleneglycol monovinyl ether and styrene and n-propyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate and N-betahydroxyethyl-N-methylaminoethyl vinyl ether, ethyl acrylate and 10-hydroxydecyl vinyl ether, n-butyl acrylate and hydroxyethyldimethyl-(vinyloxyethyl) ammonium chloride, and n-propyl or n-butyl acrylate and thiodiglycol monovinyl ether. Thickening agents mentioned are gum tragacanth, polyvinyl alcohol, cellulose ethers, and partially saponified polyvinyl acetate. The pigment may be an organic pigment such as an azo compound or lake, a phthalocyanine pigment or an inorganic compound such as carbon black, iron oxide, chrome yellow, titanium dioxide, lithopone, aluminium, bronze, brass, chromium, gold, or mixtures. Alkaline buffers such as sodium acetate, sodium carbonate, chalk, morpholine or ammonia may be added to the aqueous dispersions. The cross-linking agent may be formaldehyde, glyoxal, propandiol, N,N-ethylene urea, N,N1-dimethyl or diethyl urea, N,N1-dimethoxymethylurea, N,N1-diethoxyethylurea, tetramethoxy or tetraethoxyethylurea, N,N-dimethylmelamine, dimethoxymethyl-monomethylol-melamine, hexamethylene-bis-N, N-ethylene urea, reaction products of formaldehyde with alkyl, alkylene, aralkyl, cycloalkyl, or aryl substitution products of biguanide obtained by reacting dicyandiamide with the hydrochloride of an alkyl-, aralkyl, cyclo-alkyl- or aryl-amine, or dibiguanides. The cross-linking together with crease proofing is effected by heating the pigmented composition at elevated temperature. In the absence of a crosslinking agent hardening of the composition is effected in the presence of a small amount of an acidic catalyst such as ammonium chloride or p-toluene sulphonic acid. The compositions may be used for coating textiles, paper, paperboard, wallboard, leather. The textiles may be woven, knitted, or felts and the fibres or yarns may be formed of cotton, rayon, silk, wool, linen, cellulose esters, casein, soya bean protein, polyamides, polyglycol terephthalate, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene chloride, polyacrylonitrile, copolymers of vinyl chloride with vinyl acetate, acrylonitrile, or vinylidene chloride, copolymers of vinylidene chloride with vinyl acetate, ethylene, or acrylonitrile, or copolymers of vinylidene chloride with vinyl acetate, ethylene, or acrylonitrile, or copolymers of acrylonitrile with vinyl acetate, methacrylonitrile, or vinyl pyridines. In an example rayon challis is crease-proofed and coloured by padding the fabric with a composition comprising a copolymer of ethyl acrylate and 5-hydroxypentyl vinyl ether, a pigment, and as cross-linking agent dimethoxymethylurea and pyridine hydrochloride, and curing the fabric at 300 DEG F.