In cotton fabrics, as high-end home textiles, shirts, children’s clothing and close-fitting clothes, etc., the “touch” and “skin-friendliness” of the fabric directly affect the purchasing decisions of end consumers. The traditional softeners often improve the handle only, but may cause an “oily” feeling, reduce the moisture absorption of fabrics or lead to dyeing color accumulation. Aiming at this pain point, with the technical route of “High concentration and hydrophilic modification”, high-concentration hydrophilic and skin-friendly silicone oil can significantly increase the softness, smoothness and skin-friendly feeling without influencing the moisture absorption.
Why choose high-concentration hydrophilic & skin-friendly silicone oil?
Balance the handle and function
With the hydrophilic modified silicone molecules, it can form an even, breathable and skin-friendly film on the fiber surface, which not only makes the fabric soft, smooth and dry, but also keeps good moisture absorption and breathability.
Meets the demand of high-end fabrics
While pursuing “silky” and “velvety” feeling, natural fibers (such as cotton and rayon, etc.) often require that the fabric is not oily, not yellow and has little color difference. With the feature of low yellowing and low shade changing, high-concentration hydrophilic & skin-friendly silicone softener can meet these demands.
Decreases the complexity of the formula
A high-concentration formula means lower cost of transportation and storage. And at the same time, it can achieve an ideal effect with a very small dosage. It is convenient for factories to use in different production lines.
Technical principle: dual guarantee of hydrophilicity and softness
Generally, high-concentration hydrophilic & skin-friendly silicone oil is a block-modified hydrophilic organic silicone emulsion. Its working mechanism includes:
- Silicone main chain forms a flexible film on the fiber surface to reduce the surface friction coefficient, thus bringing a “silky and smooth” handle.
- Hydrophilic groups (such as polyether) provide affinity sites for water molecules, so that water drops spread rapidly on the surface of the fibers and penetrate the fibers, maintaining the moisture absorption of the fabric.
- Self-emulsifying property and stability of silicone emulsion can ensure that the auxiliary can be distributed evenly in the padding or exhaust system and avoid color accumulation or color difference.
Applicable fabrics and typical application scenarios
- Main application: Natural or high-cotton fabric, as cotton, cotton blends, viscose fiber, Tencel and Modal. Chemical fiber blends.
- Typical use: Final finishing for high-end home textile (bed sheet and quilt cover), children’s clothing, shirt, underwear and high-grade knitted fabrics. Also suitable for a finished product production line that requires low yellowing and high whiteness.
Main performance and commercial value
- High concentration and small dosage have a more economical cost for single-sided ingredients.
- Significantly increases the softness and smoothness of fabrics. Imparts fabrics with a silky and exquisite handle.
- Good hydrophilicity: Not to decrease the original moisture absorption of fabrics. More comfortable to wear.
- Low yellowing and low shade changing: Suitable for light color and high white fabrics.
- Good process stability: Can be used together with a whitening agent and resin in the same bath (according to compatibility test).
- Environmentally-friendly formula: No prohibited substances, as APEO, etc. Can meet the compliance requirements of brands and foreign trade customers.
Process reference and operation suggestions
To implement the production line and copy parameter, the following are two commonly used finishing process references, as padding and exhaust:
- Padding process (Recommended to be used in continuous production and finished product finishing)
- Reference dosage: Light and thin fabric: 10~20 g/L, Heavy and thick fabric: 20~30 g/L
- Working pH: 6.0~7.0 (neutral to slightly acidic)
- Proceso: Padding (Pickup: 70~90%)→ Drying → Stentering (160~170℃×60~90 seconds)
- Applicable scene: Beddings, shirts and padding dyeing mass production line for ready-to-wear clothes
- Exhaust process (Recommended to be used for small lot/special treating)
- Reference dosage: 1.0~3.0% o.w.f
- Bath ratio: 1:20 (Can be adjusted according to equipment and process)
- Proceso: 40~50℃×10~20 minutes→Dewater →Drying (100~120℃)
- Applicable scene: Finishing for ready-to-wear clothes or special fabrics that need deep wetting performance.
Suggestions for practical operation: Before putting a high concentration product into production, it is essential to make a small sample test (different fabrics, different fabric surface after dyed, different dyeing depth) to ensure the handle, color difference and the consistency of appearance after drying. When used together with a whitening agent or resin in the same bath, please make a compatibility test
to avoid mutual influence.
Main Points of Compatibility, Stability and Quality Control
- Compatibility test: If used with commonly used fluorescent brighteners, resins and softeners, make a small test to verify no emulsification or delamination, no sedimentation and no obvious color difference.
- Process resistance: Generally, high-concentration hydrophilic silicone softener remains stable in a wide pH and temperature range. But it is still suggested not to directly mix with strong oxidants and add to the bath.
- Control of yellowing and color difference: Before being used for light color or highly white fabrics, it needs to confirm the low-temperature short-time drying process and the formula dosage to avoid slight color transferring.
- Storage and handling: Please stir it evenly before using. Please do not expose it to the air for a long time. Please store in a cool and ventilated place. Personal protection and waste liquid disposal should be carried out in accordance with the factory’s SOP.
- Suggestions for test index: Handle (subjective scoring), penetrability/water absorption rate test, color difference ΔE, heat yellowing test (speed up by oven) and washing fastness test.
Recommend product: 76698 high-concentration hydrophilic & skin-friendly silicone oil
To meet the above-mentioned finishing requirements, BLUELAKECHEM’s 76698 High Concentration Hydrophilic & Skin-friendly Silicone Softener is a silicone emulsion type silicone softener developed specifically for natural fibers and cotton blends. This product is a block-modified hydrophilic silicone emulsion, which can provide “soft, smooth and silky handle” and good hydrophilicity for cotton fabrics. It has a self-emulsifying property. It can be used together with a whitening agent and resin in the same bath and remains stable. Key technology data and reference dosage are as follows (for production reference):
- Appearance: colorless or light yellow transparent liquid, Ionicity: weak cationic, pH value: 6.0~7.0 (1% aqueous solution), Soluble in water
- Reference dosage for padding dyeing: light and thin fabric: 10~20 g/L, heavy and thick fabric: 20~30 g/L, Working pH: 6.0~7.0, Stenter: 160~170℃×60~90 seconds
- Reference dosage for exhaust dyeing: Reference dosage: 1.0~3.0% o.w.f, Bath ratio: 1:20, 40~50
℃×10~20 minutes→Dewater→Drying (100~120℃) - Other characteristic: Good hydrophilicity on natural fibers. Keeps original hydrophilicity on chemical fibers. Low yellowing and low color difference. Keeps high stability under different pH values and temperatures. Easy for strip softener and easy for repairing color if the finished fabric needs to be modified or dyed.
Acerca de BLUELAKECHEM
BLUELAKECHEM has been focusing on researching, developing and producing textile auxiliaries. Our products include pretreatment, dyeing and finishing. We are committed to providing high-concentration, high-stability, and environmentally friendly auxiliary solutions to global dyeing and finishing enterprises. And we provide small sample tests, mass verification and on-site technical support to help customers achieve a dual improvement in production efficiency and product quality. If you need a 76698 sample, TDS, or process experimental formula, please Contacto to get technical support and sample test service.
