This invention relates to a process for the production of water dispersible polyurethanes by reacting polyisocyanates with sulphonate group containing diols. The sulphonate diols have the general formula: ##STR1## WHEREIN A and B, which may be the same or different, each represents a divalent aliphatic hydrocarbon group containing from 1 to 6 carbon atoms,R represents hydrogen, an aliphatic hydrocarbon group containing 1 to 4 carbon atoms or a phenyl group,X.sup.(+) represents an alkali metal cation or ammonium group which may be substitutedn and m, which may be the same or different, each represents an integer between 0 and 30 inclusive,o and p, represent 0 or 1, andq represents an integer of 0 or 2.Sufficient amounts of this diol are used to provide the final polymer with a sulphonate group content of about 0.1 to 6 wt.%. In a preferred embodiment, a prepolymer is formed in substance with the sulphonate bearing diol, the polyisocyanate and optionally other reactive hydrogen bearing compounds. The prepolymer is then chain extended with water and water soluble polyamines. This second stage may take place in water and the polyamines may carry sulphonate groups.