Silicone Softener
Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) silicone softener is the most widely used textile softening technology, imparting a characteristic smooth, silky, and lubricating hand feel to synthetic and cellulosic fabrics through the formation of an oriented PDMS layer on fiber surfaces that dramatically reduces inter-fiber friction coefficients. Unlike cationic softeners, standard PDMS silicone is essentially non-ionic and compatible with a broad range of dyes, auxiliaries, and fiber types. Applied by pad or exhaust at 2–40 g/L and dried at 120–150°C, it provides durable softening with moderate re-wettability.
Key Applications
- General-purpose fabric softening on cotton, polyester, and blends
- Smooth and silky hand feel imparting on woven and knit fabrics
- Yarn-on-yarn friction reduction in knitting and weaving
- Sewability improvement on synthetic and blended garment fabrics
Frequently Bought Together
Hydrophilic Silicone Softener
Hydrophilic silicone softeners are polyether-modified polysiloxane compounds engineered to combine the soft, smooth hand-feel properties of conventional silicone with a hydrophilic molecular architecture that preserves or enhances the moisture wicking and absorbency of treated fabrics — a property that standard PDMS silicones compromise through their hydrophobic character.
Textile Dyes & AuxiliariesAmino Silicone Softener
Amino-functional silicone softeners contain reactive amine groups (primary, secondary, or tertiary amino groups) grafted onto the polysiloxane backbone, enabling the silicone to form strong electrostatic and reactive bonds with anionic fiber surfaces — particularly cotton and wool — resulting in significantly more durable softening effects and an exceptionally soft, cashmere-like tactile quality compared to unfunctionalized PDMS systems.
Textile Dyes & AuxiliariesSoftening Flakes
Textile softening flakes are concentrated solid cationic or non-ionic fatty quaternary ammonium compounds in flake or pellet form that dissolve readily in water to produce softening bath or pad liquors for cellulosic and synthetic fabric finishing.