In order to give fabrics a soft, smooth, or full feel, in addition to mechanical finishing, most fabrics need to be treated with softeners.

The following introduces the functions, requirements, types, and respective characteristics of softeners.

1、 The function of softener

1. Supplementing natural fibers with natural oils lost during refining, bleaching, and other processes to make the hand feel more ideal.

2. Attach to natural or synthetic fibers to improve smoothness and strength, and enhance hand feel.

3. By utilizing certain characteristics of softeners, the wearability of fabrics can be improved.

In order to achieve the above effects, softeners are generally substances with the smoothness and tactile sensation of oils and fats, which can adhere to the surface of fibers to reduce the frictional resistance between fibers and provide lubrication and softness to the fibers. Some softeners can also crosslink with reactive groups on fibers to achieve washing resistance.

2、 Requirements for softener

1. Under various soft processing conditions, the working fluid should be very stable.

2. Not reducing the whiteness and color fastness of fibers or fabrics.

3. Softened fibers or fabrics are not easily discolored by heat and should not undergo changes in color, feel, or odor during storage.

4. If the softener is lotion, its lotion stability is good.

5. According to different processing requirements, it should have appropriate properties such as water absorption, water repellent, anti-static, etc. (the selection should be based on the different requirements of the fabric). Has resistance to washing or dry cleaning.

6. There are no adverse effects after contact with human skin.

Due to the wide variety of textiles, the use of different fibers, and the varying fabric specifications and purposes, as well as different finishing requirements, the selection of softeners cannot be generalized. Therefore, it is necessary to choose softeners that meet the requirements based on the softening mechanism and function of each type of softener. In addition, the performance of each softener is always limited. To achieve good results in multiple properties, two or more softeners can be used in combination (or combined into a new softener product). The composite application of organic silicon softener and long-chain aliphatic softener can achieve good results of soft, plump, and smooth hand feel. It can also combine the application of softener with mechanical softening finishing, often achieving good results.