solvents for dyestuffs and pigments to form waterless dyeing compositions see for example u s pat no 4 293 305 to wilson the aromatic esters can be of the formula arcoor 2 arcoo r 1 oocar or arcoo 2 r 3 wherein r 1 is alkylene of 2 8 carbon atoms or polyoxyalkylene of the formula c r h 2r s in which r is 2 or 3 and s is up to 15 r 2 is substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or alkenyl of 8 30 atoms r 3 is the residue of a polyhydric alcohol having z hydroxyl groups ar is mono or bicyclic aryl of up to 15 carbon atoms and z is 3 6 furthermore the cycloaliphatic ester can be of the formula str1 wherein r is substituted or unsubstituted straight or branched chain alkyl of 4 20 carbon atoms polyoxyalkylene of the formula r 39 oc x h 2x n or phosphated polyoxyalkylene of the formula or a salt thereof wherein oc x h 2x o n is c 2 h 4 o n c 3 h 6 o n or c 2 h 4 o p or c 3 h 6 o q r 1 is h or arco ar is mono or bicyclic aryl of up to 15 carbon atoms x is 2 or 3 n is 2 22 and the sum of p q is n the preferred high boiling organic solvents include triesters of 1.