Results obtained for different samples of s-polypropylene and poly (ethylene-co-octene) demonstrated the usefulness of light attenuation measurements in investigations of polymer crystallization. The earlier stages with separated growing spheruilites fall in the range of Rayleigh-Debye-Gans scattering. Known relationships describing the dependence of the linear attenuation coefficient on the radius and the index of refraction of the spherulite can be applied in evaluations. The sensitivity of attenuation measurements is higher than that of conventional tools. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.