Compounds of formula CH2=C(R)COO-A-NH-CO-NH2 wherein R is hydrogen or a methyl group and A represents a saturated, divalent, aliphatic or cycloaliphatic hydrocarbon group, may be polymerized or copolymerized with compounds containing at least one vinylidene group. A is preferably an alkylene group containing 2-14 carbon atoms, e.g. an ethylene, propylene or trimethylene group. The polymerization can be carried out in bulk or in solution or emulsion, and may be accelerated by the use of heat, ultraviolet light and free-radical catalysts, e.g. a : a1 - bis - azoisobutyronitrile, methyl azoisobutyrate, ascaridol, tertiary-butyl and cumene hydroperoxides, benzoyl, acetyl, lauroyl, ditertiary-butyl and stearyl peroxides, tertiary-butyl perbenzoate and "per salts" such as ammonium persulphate and ammonium perborate. Specified vinylidene compounds are N-dialkyl acrylamides, e.g. dimethyl and diethyl acrylamide; esters of acrylic, methacrylic and a-chloroacrylic acids, e.g. methyl, ethyl, butyl, octyl and 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, methyl, tertiary-butyl and octyl methacrylate; butyl and lauryl chloroacrylate; vinyl hydrocarbons, e.g. styrene, a-methylstyrene, vinylnaphthalene, vinyltoluene, di- and trivinylbenzene; vinyl and vinylidene chloride; diallyl phthalate and allyl and methallyl esters of saturated aliphatic carboxylic acids, e.g. allyl acetate and methallyl propionate; acrylonitrile and vinylpyridine. Specified ureido esters are b-ureidoethyl acrylate and methacrylate. At least 1 per cent molar and preferably 2-20 per cent of ureido ester is used in the preparation of copolymers. In an example beta-ureidoethyl acrylate and methacrylate are copolymerized with ethyl, butyl and octyl acrylates in an aqueous emulsion containing tert.-octylphenoxypolyethoxyethanol as a dispersing agent and a mixture of ammonium persulphate and sodium hydrosulphite as a catalyst. The copolymer emulsions produced are used in the shrink-proofing of woolen fabric. Specification 759,860 is referred to. ALSO: The invention comprises compounds of formula CH2 = C(R)COO-A-NH-CO-NH2 wherein R represents hydrogen or a methyl group and A represents a saturated, divalent, aliphatic or cycloaliphatic hydrocarbon group preferably containing 2-14 carbon atoms, e.g. ethylene, propylene and trimethylene. The compounds are prepared by reacting ammonia with a isocyanato ester of acrylic or methacrylic acid having the formula CH2 = C(R)COO-A-NCO The reaction is conducted at temperatures of 0-50 DEG C. and preferably in presence of an inert solvent. The examples describe the preparation of b-ureidoethyl acrylate and methacrylate. Specification 759,860 is referred to. ALSO: Woollen fabrics are shrink-proofed by padding them with an aqueous emulsion of a copolymer comprising at least 1 per cent (on a molar basis) of a copolymerized ureido ester of formula:-CH2=C(R)COO-A-NH-CO-NH2 wherein R is hydrogen or a methyl group and A is a saturated, divalent, aliphatic or cycloaliphatic hydrocarbon group, and at most 99 per cent of a copolymerized compound containing a vinyl or vinylidene group, and heating the treated fabric to at least 240 DEG F. Specified vinyl or vinyliden compounds are N-dialkyl acrylamides, e.g. dimethyl and diethyl acrylamide; esters of acrylic, methacrylic and a-chloroacrylic acids, e.g. methyl, ethyl, butyl, octyl or 2 - ethyhexyl acrylate, methyl, tertiary-butyl or octyl methacrylate, or butyl or lauryl chloroacrylate; vinyl hydrocarbons, e.g. styrene, a-methylstyrene, vinylnaphthalene, vinyltoluene or di- and trivinylbenzene; vinyl and vinylidene chloride; diallylphthalate and allyl and methallyl esters of saturated aliphatic carboxylic acids, e.g. allyl acetate or methallyl propionate; acrylonitrile and vinylpyridine. Specified ureido esters are b-ureidoethylacrylate and methacrylate. Specification 759,860 is referred to.