Industry-first breakthrough delivers longer-lasting softness so garments remain in active use for longer

Strong and absorbent, cotton and other cellulosic fibers are among the most widely used premium materials in the textile and fashion industry. To achieve the soft and luxurious handfeel that consumers expect, manufacturers commonly have to add a silicone softener during fabric finishing. In the past, it was necessary to choose between a durable softener that negatively impacted the natural absorbency of the cotton fiber or a softener that preserved the fiber’s ability to hold moisture but also soon washed off through home laundering.

Archroma’s new SILIGEN® D2W LIQ C was developed to overcome these challenges and produce fabrics that maintain their absorbency and their silky smooth feel for longer, extending their use life. SILIGEN® D2W LIQ C imparts an excellent, and highly durable handfeel while maintaining the natural absorbency of cotton. It also has minimum side effects, including no yellowing or phenolic yellowing, and is also compatible even with anionic components and easy-care resins extending the range of possible combinations for functional finishes including crease-resistance.

Dhirendra Gautam, VP Global Marketing and Strategy, Archroma, said, “Archroma is committed to innovation that furthers our planet conscious vision of the future of the apparel and textile industry. As our brand partners increasingly design for longevity, they want to offer garments that remain luxurious and comfortable to wear over a longer life. SILIGEN® D2W LIQ C is a breakthrough innovation that enables a new approach to softening. By enhancing both durability and cotton hand feel, it reduces the need for frequent replacement of garments to conserve resources, minimize waste and lessen the environmental impact of the industry.”

SILIGEN® D2W LIQ C is based on a new patent-pending chemistry from Archroma called micro-x. It is a cross-linkable microemulsion that forms a stable silicone network within the cellulosic fibers, ensuring more uniform distribution of the softener and locking it in to maintain softness over time while bringing wash-resistance.

In addition to developing the new silicone softener, the Archroma researchers also had to find a way to measure the durability of hand feel in an objective way.

“Handfeel was previously evaluated through human perception and expert opinion, but this does not align with our efforts to improve the transparency of the textile value chain and support mills and brands in meeting their sustainability goals,” Michael Schuhmann, Global Marketing Manager Finishing, Archroma Textile Effects, said. “We discovered that we can measure the elastic recovery added to the knitted fabric by the silicone finish and track it through multiple launderings to prove its durability. This enables mills and brands to more accurately quantify handfeel durability for the first time.”

Watch the video on the first truly durable silicone softener for cotton.