Diffusion/penetration rates of finishing agents are not a major criterion in the design of low molecular weight finishing agents. However, in the case of polymeric finishing agents, high molecular weights result in large hydrodynamic volumes and diffusion/penetration of the finishing agent into the substrate may become a critical factor in the design of textile finishing agents. Thus the effect of the molecular weight of a model compound, polyethylene glycol, on its diffusion through a cellulose membrane or cotton fabric is studied. Diffusion experiments of polyethylene glycol of molecular weight 400, 1000, 2000, 4600, 8000, and 10000 through cellulose membrane or fabric was carried out in a glass U-tube diffusion apparatus and the half penetration times and the penetration coefficients were determined. Both the half penetration times and the penetration coefficients exhibited a significant change between molecular weight 2000 and 2500 as the molecular weight of polyethylene glycol increased, suggesting that there is a critical molecular weight above which diffusion/penetration becomes difficult. Based on this study on a model compound, it is suggested that polymeric textile finishing agents can be expected to exhibit similar behavior.