005 1 to 1 1 preferably of from 0 025 1 to 0 5 1 more preferably of from 0 05 1 to 0 3 1 to function as a so called carrier in order to boost the performances of compounds of formula i or compounds of formula ii the polyvinyl alcohol which may be employed as carrier has a degree of hydrolysis greater than or equal to 60 and a brookfield viscosity of between 1 and 60 mpa u00b7 s for a 4 aqueous solution at 20 u00b0 c preferably the degree of hydrolysis is between 70 and 95 and the brookfield viscosity is between 1 and 50 mpa u00b7 s 4 aqueous solution at 20 u00b0 c most preferably the degree of hydrolysis is between 70 and 90 and the brookfield viscosity is between 1 and 40 mpa u00b7 s 4 aqueous solution at 20 u00b0 c the sizing composition may be prepared by adding one or more compounds of formula i one or more compounds of formula ii optionally one or more divalent metal salts and water to a preformed aqueous solution of the binder at a temperature between 20 u00b0 c and 90 u00b0 c compounds of formula i compounds of formula ii and optionally the divalent metal salts can be added in any order or at the same time to the.