GB1601359A

GB1601359A - Textile treating composition

Info

Publication number: GB1601359A
Application number: GB2273977A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Procter and Gamble Co
Current assignee: Procter and Gamble Co
Priority date: 1977-05-30
Filing date: 1977-05-30
Publication date: 1981-10-28
Also published as: FR2393100A2; FR2393100B2

Description

(54) TEXTILE TREATING COMPOSITION (71) We, THE PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY, a Company organised under the laws of the State of Ohio, United States of America, of 301 East Sixth Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202, United States of America, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to fabric softening compositions and, in particular, to the compositions in the form of an aqueous emulsion or dispersion. The present invention is an improvement in or a modification of the invention claimed in our co-pending British Patent Application No. 29103/76 (Specification Serial No.

1,550,205), hereinafter termed the "parent invention As more fully explained in the specification relating to the parent invention, -fabric softening agents are usually cationic materials such as distearyl dimethyl ammonium chloride. The positive charge on the softening compound encourages its deposition onto the fabric substrate, the surface of which is usually negatively charged.

However, although the above-mentioned cationic compounds are highly effective softeners when applied in a rinse solution, there are certain disadvantages associated with their use. For example, the cationic compounds having long alkyl chains are very sensitive to carry over of anionic detergent into the rinse. Thus, carry over of anionic detergent tends to neutralize the softening effect because the anionic-cationic complex tends to precipitate out of solution. Also, certain cationic surfactant compounds are expensive and it is therefore desirable, for commercial reasons, to provide softening compositions having a reduced amount of cationic surfactant compound.Furthermore, softening compositions which comprise predominantly long chain cationic compounds have the disadvantage that the treated fabrics tend to become overloaded with softener and become discoloured, greasy or undesirably non-absorbent.

While certain nonionic compounds have been proposed as fabric softening agents, it has been found that these deposit only very inefficiently from aqueous solution because of their lack of positive charge, and in order to obtain effective utilization of such compounds, it is necessary to use them in conjunction with an automatic clothes dryer.

The parent invention provides softening compositions which employ mixtures of nonionic and cationic softeners which provide excellent deposition onto the fabric surface from aqueous solution.

The present invention provides softening compositions containing nonionic fabric conditioning agents and certain specific cationic carrier materials to provide good deposition of the nonionic onto the fabrics being rinsed.

According to the present invention, there is provided a textile treatment composition in the form of an aqueous dispersion, the disperse phase comprising (a) a cationic surfactant selected from (i) compounds of the general formula

wherein R1 is alkyl or alkenyl having from 8 to 22 carbon atoms;A is selected from -O-, -COO-, -OCO-, CO-NH-, -NH-CO- and -C6H4-; B is a polymethylene group with from 2 to 6 carbon atoms optionally interrupted by or bonded to an alicyclic or aromatic radical; each R2 is independently selected from hydrogen, C1-C4 alkyl, C1-C4 alkoxy, benzyl, (C2H4O)DH, (CH2CH2NH)pH where p is from 1 to 3, and (CH2)3N(R6)2 where each R6 is selected from hydrogen, C1-C4 alkyl and (C2H4O)pH; X- is an anion; n is from 1 to 4; and m is from 0 to 6.

(ii) compounds of the general formula

or wherein R2 is C,0~22 alkyl or alkenyl; each R4 is independently selected from C14 alkoxy, benzyl, (CH2CH2NH)pH and (CH2)3N(R6)2 where each R6 is selected from hydrogen, C14 alkyl and (C2H4O)pH, and B, m and X are as hereinbefore defined, (iii) compounds of the general formula

wherein R5 is C10 to C22 alkyl or alkenyl optionally interrupted by -O-, -COO-, -OCO-, -CONH-, -NH CO-, or -C6H4-, and wherein R2, B, X and m are as hereinbefore defined, (iv) compounds of the general formula

wherein R2, R5, B, X and m are as hereinbefore defined, and (v) compounds of the general formula

wherein R2, R5 and X are as hereinbefore defined, and (b) a nonionic fabric lubricant selected from: (i) esters of C12-C24 fatty alcohols and C1-C8 mono- or polycarboxylic acids, whereby the total number of carbon atoms in the ester is equal to or greater than 16; (ii) mono-ethers of C,OC24 fatty alcohols and mono- or poly-alcohols having from 2 to 8 carbon atoms; (iii) compounds of the formula R31-X'-R41 wherein R3, is a hydrocarbyl radical which has from 12 to 24 and R4, is a hydrocarbyl radical which has from 1 to 6 carbon atoms and can be hydroxyl-substituted, and X' stands for sulfur, -NHCO- or CONH; and (iv) esters of mono- or polyhydric alcohols containing from I to 8 carbon atoms, and or anhydrides thereof and C10-C24 fatty acids, Preferably, the composition comprises from 0.5% to 12% by weight of each of the nonionic lubricant and cationic surfactant.

In preferred embodiments of the invention, the cationic surfactant is a nonquaternized diamine salt. Preferred compositions additionally include up to 6% by weight of a cationic material having two C12-C30 alkyl chains.

Detailed Description of the Invention The composition of the present invention comprises components which are described more fully hereinafter. All percentages herein are by weight unless otherwise specified.

The Cationic Surfactant Preferred cationic surfactants cf class (i) have the group A selected from --00- and COO. It is further preferred that the compound is in the form of a diamine salt (i.e., without quaternization of the nitrogen atoms).

Specific preferred members within this class (where R, is as hereinbefore defined) are:

The corresponding diamine where R, is tallow alkyl is available from Pierrefitte Auby (CECA) under the Trade Name Sopapa. Ethoxylated derivatives of this material are especially useful.

The amine where R, is tallow alkyl is available from Pierrefitte Auby (CECA) under the Trade Name Sopa. Ethoxylated derivatives of this material are especially useful.

Preferred compounds of class (ii) have R4 groups which are (CH2CH2NH)pH, (CH2)3NH2 and (CH2)3N(CH2CH2OH)2.

Preferred compounds of class (iii) and class (iv) have as R5 a C,2C,8 alkyl group, and each R2 selected from hydrogen, C1-C3 alkyl and -CH2CH2OH.

Specific useful members of these classes are:

This is sold under the Trade Mark "Polyram L" 200 by Pierrefitte Auby

Useful compounds of class (v) are acid salts of stearylamine, stearylmethylamine, stearyldimethylamine and N,N-(2-hydroxyethyl) tallow amine.

The anion X may represent any appropriate acidic radical such as a halide, a C2-C22 carboxylate, or an arylsulf(on)ate. Examples of preferred anions include bromide, chloride, methyl sulfate, toluene-, xylene-, cumene-, and benzenesulfonate, dodecylbenzenesulfonate, benzoate, parahydroxybenzoate, acetate, propionate and laurate.

The mono- or polyamines are preferably used in an amount from about 1 to 8% and more preferably 2 to 6% of the liquid textile treatment composition.

The Nonionic Fabric Lubricant A second essential component for use in the compositions herein is represented by a nonionic fabric lubricant as hereinbefore defined.

A preferred group of nonionic lubricants are the fatty acid esters of a monoor polyhydric alcohol or anhydride thereof, said alcohol or anhydride having from 1 to 8 carbon atoms, and C,OC24 fatty acids. It is preferred that the fatty acid ester has at least 1, more preferably at least 2, free (i.e., unesterified) hydroxyl groups.

The mono- or polyhydric alcohol portion of the ester can be represented by methanol, isobutanol, 2-ethylhexanol, isopropanol, ethylene glycol, and polyethylene glycol with a maximum of 4 ethylene glycol units, glycerol, diglycerol, xylitol, sucrose, erythritol, pentaerythritol, sorbitol or sorbitan. Ethylene glycol, glycerol and sorbitan esters are particularly preferred.

The fatty acid portion of the ester normally comprises a fatty acid having from 12 to 22 carbon atoms, typical examples being lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid and behenic acid.

One highly preferred group of softening agents for use in the present invention is the sorbitan esters, which are esterified dehydration products of sorbitol.

Sorbitol, itself prepared by the catalytic hydrogenation of glucose, can be dehydrated in well known fashion to form mixtures of 1,4- and 1,5-sorbitol anhydrides and small amounts of isosorbides. (See Brown, U.S. Patent No.

2,322,821, issued June 29, 1943).

The foregoing type of complex mixtures of anhydrides of sorbitol are collectively referred to herein as sorbitan". It will be recognized that this "sorbitan" mixture will also contain some free, uncyclized sorbitol.

The softening agents of the type employed herein can be prepared by esterifying the "sorbitan" mixture with a fatty acyl group in standard fashion, e.g., by reaction with a fatty acid halide or fatty acid. The esterification reaction can occur at any of the available hydroxyl groups, and various mono-, di-, etc., esters can be prepared. In fact, mixtures of mono-, di-, tri-, etc., esters almost always result from such reactions, and the stoichiometric ratios of the reactants can be simply adjusted to favor the desired reaction product.

For commercial production of the sorbitan ester materials, etherification and esterification are generally accomplished in the same processing step by reacting sorbitol directly with fatty acids. Such a method of sorbitan ester preparation is described more fully in MacDonald; "Emulsifiers: Processing and Quality Control: Journal of the Americal Oil Chemists' Society, Volume 45, October 1968.

The mixtures of hydroxy-substituted sorbitan esters useful herein contain, inter alia, compounds of the following formulae, as well as the corresponding hydroxysubstituted di-esters:

wherein the group R is a C10-C24 fatty alkyl or alkenyl residue. Preferably this fatty alkyl alkenyl residue contains from 16 to 22 carbon atoms. The fatty alkyl alkenyl residue can, of course, contain non-interfering substituents such as hydroxyl groups. Esterified hydroxyl groups can, of course, be either in terminal or internal positions within the sorbitan molecule.

The foregoing complex mixtures of esterified dehydration products of sorbitol (and small amounts of esterified sorbitol) are collectively referred to herein as "sorbitan esters". Sorbitan mono- and di-esters of lauric, myristic, palmitic, stearic and behenic (docosanoic) acids are particularly useful herein as softening agents and also can provide an anti-static benefit to fabrics. Mixed sorbitan esters, e.g., mixtures of the foregoing esters, and mixtures prepared by esterifying sorbitan with fatty acid mixtures such as the mixed tallow fatty acids, are useful herein and are economically attractive. Unsaturated C10-C22 sorbitan esters, e.g., sorbitan monooleate, usually are present in such mixtures in low concentration.

Preparation of the sorbitan esters herein can be achieved by dehydrating sorbitol to form a mixture of anhydrides of the type set forth above, and subsequently esterifying the mixture using, for example, a 1:1 by weight stoichlometry for the esterification reaction. The esterified mixture can then be separated into the various ester components. Separation of the individual ester products is, however, difficult and expensive. Accordingly, it is easier and more economical not to separate the various esters, using instead the esterified mixture as the sorbitan ester component. Such mixtures of esterified reaction products are commercially available under various tradenames, e.g., "Span" (Trade Mark).

Such sorbitan ester mixtures can also be prepared by utilizing conventional interesterification procedures.

For the purposes of the present invention, it is preferred that a significant amount of di- and tri-sorbitan esters are present in the ester mixture. Ester mixtures having from 20--50 mono-ester, 25%50% di-ester and 10%35% of tri- and tetra-esters are preferred.

The material which is sold commercially as sorbitan mono-ester (e.g. monostearate) does in fact contain significant amounts of di- and tri-esters and a typical analysis of sorbitan monostearate indicates that it comprises ca. 27% mono-, 32q: di- and 30% tri- and tetra-esters. Commercial sorbitan mono-stearate therefore is a preferred material. Mixtures of sorbitan stearate and sorbitan palmitate having stearate/palmitate weight ratios varying between 10:1 and 1:10, and 1,5-sorbitan esters are useful. Both the 1,4- and 1,5-sorbitan esters are useful herein.

Other useful alkyl sorbitan esters for use in the softening compositions herein include sorbitan monolaurate, sorbitan monomyristate, sorbitan monopalmitate, sorbitan monobehenate, sorbitan monooleate, sorbitan dilaurate, sorbitan dimyristate, sorbitan dipalmitate, sorbitan distearate, sorbitan dibehenate, sorbitan dioleate, and mixtures thereof, and mixed tallowalkyl sorbitan mono- and di-esters.

Such mixtures are readily prepared by reacting the foregoing hydroxy-substituted sorbitans, particularly the 1,4- and 1,5-sorbitans, with the corresponding acid or acid chloride in a simple esterification reaction. It is to be recognized, of course, that commercial materials prepared in this manner will comprise mixtures usually containing minor proportions of uncyclized sorbitol, fatty acids, polymers and isosorbide structures. In the present invention, it is preferred that such impurities are present at as low a level as possible.

It is also to be recognized that the sorbitan esters employed herein can contain up to about 15% by weight of esters of the C20-C28, and higher, fatty acids, as well as minor amounts of C8, and lower, fatty esters. The presence or absence of such contaminants is of no consequence in the present invention.

Other fatty acid partial esters useful in the present invention are xylitol monopalmitate, pentaerythritol monostearate, sucrose monostearate, glycerol monostearate and ethylene glycol monostearate. As with the sorbitan esters, commercially available mono-esters normally contain substantial quantities of dior tri-esters.

The glycerol esters are also highly preferred. These are the mono-, di- or triesters of glycerol and fatty acids of the class described above. Commercial glyceryl mono-stearate, which may contain a proportion of the di- and tri-stearates, is especially preferred.

A second useful group of nonionic materials are the fatty alcohol esters derived from C12-C24 fatty alcohols. Examples of suitable fatty alcohols include: stearyl, oleyl, palmityl, lauryl, cocoyl, arachidyl and behenyl alcohol. The fatty alcohol is esterified with a mono- or polycarboxylic acid having from 1 to 8, preferably from 2 to 6 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain.

Examples of suitable monocarboxylic acids include: acetic, propionic, butyric, isobutyric, valeric, lactic, glycolic, and p.p'-dihydroxy-isobutyric acid. Examples of suitable polycarboxylic acids include: n-butylmalonic, isocitric, citric, malic, maleic and succinic acid.

The total number of carbon atoms in the fatty alcohol esters is equal to or greater than 16.

Specific examples of fatty alcohol esters for use herein include: stearyl acetate, palmityl di-lactate, cocoyl isobutyrate, oleyl maleate, oleyl di-maleate, and tallowyl propionatc.

The fatty alcohol radical in the fatty alcohol monoethers can correspond to the fatty alcohol radicals in the ester component described above. Thus suitable fatty alcohols are all those of natural or synthetic origin listed above. The short chain mono- or polyalcohol can contain from 2 to 8 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain.

Examples of suitable species include: ethylene glycol, glycerol, ethanol, isopropanol, vinyl alcohol, sorbitol and pentaerythritol.

Specific examples of fatty alcohol mono-ethers are represented by: batyl alcohol (stearyl glycerol mono-ether), behenyl ethylene glycol mono-ether, octadecyl vinyl ether, and cocoyl ethyleneglycol mono-ether.

The nonionic fabric lubricant can also be represented by a compound having the formula: R31-X'-R4, wherein R3, is a hydrocarbyl radical which has from 12 to 24 carbon atoms and R4, is a hydrocarbyl radical which has from 1 to 6 carbon atoms and can be hydroxyl-substituted and X' stands for sulfur,

Suitable examples of this compound include: N-stearyl methacrylamide, stearyl vinyl sulfide, N-palmityl 2-hydroxyethylamide, N-tallowyl 3hydroxypropylamide, and N-2-hydroxypropyl arachidylamide.

The nonionic fabric lubricant is conveniently used in an amount from 0.5% to 12%, preferably from 1% to 8%, and most preferably from 2% to 6%, by weight of the composition.

The compositions of this invention can optionally contain up to 6% by weight of a cationic compatibilizing agent selected from a conventional water-insoluble quaternary ammonium compound, a C825 alkylimidazolinium salt and mixtures thereof.

Well-known species of substantially water-insoluble quaternary ammonium compounds have the formula:

wherein R," and R2" represent hydrocarbyl groups of from 10 to 22 carbon atoms; R3" and R4" represent hydrocarbyl groups containing from 1 to 4 carbon atoms; X is an anion and preferably selected from halide, and methyl sulfate radicals.

Representative examples of quaternary softeners include ditallow dimethyl ammonium chloride; ditallow dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate; dihexadecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride; di(hydrogenated tallow) dimethyl ammonium chloride; dioctadecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride; dieicosyl dimethyl ammonium chloride; didocosyl dimethyl ammonium chloride; di(hydrogenated tallow) dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate; dihexadecyl diethyl ammonium chloride; di(coconutalkyl) dimethyl ammonium chloride. Ditallow dimethyl ammonium chloride, di(hydrogenated tallow-alkyl) dimethyl ammonium chloride and di(coconut-alkyl) dimethyl ammonium chloride are preferred.

Another class of suitable cationic compatibilizing agents can be represented by C825 alkylimidazolinium salts. Preferred salts are those conforming to the formula

wherein R6 is a C1-C4 alkyl radical, R5' is hydrogen or a C1-C4 alkyl radical, R8 is a C8-C25 alkyl radical and R7 is hydrogen or a C8-C25 alkyl radical. X is a charge balancing ion which has the same meaning as X defined in the quaternary ammonium compatibilizing agent above.

The optional cationic compatibilizing is frequently used in an amount up to 6e6, preferably in an amount from 0.5% to 4%.

In preferred compositions of this invention, the weight ratio of substituted polyamine and, if present, cationic compatibilizing agent to nonionic fabric lubricant is equal to or greater than ( > 0.6, preferably > 0.9.

In addition to the above described components the compositions may contain other textile treatment or conditioning agents. Such agents include silicones, as for example, described in German Patent Application DOS 26 31 419 incorporated herein by reference.

The optional silicone component can be used in an amount of from about 0.50o to 6%, preferably from 1% to 4% of the softener composition. In other preferred compositions of this invention the weight ratio of the sum of nonionic fabric lubricant and silicone to total cationic surfactant is in the range from 2:1 to 1:3.

The compositions herein can contain optional ingredients which are known to be suitable for use in textile softeners at usual levels for their known function. Such adjuvants include emulsifiers, perfumes, preservatives, germicides, viscosity modifiers, colorants, dyes, fungicides, stabilizers, brighteners, and opacifiers.

These adjuvants, if used, are normally added at their conventional low levels (e.g., from about 0.1% to 5% by weight).

The compositions can normally be prepared by mixing the ingredients together in water, heating to a temperature of about 60"C and agitating for 5-30 minutes. The pH of the dispersion is normally adjusted to a value between pH 4 and pH 6.

It is highly preferred and generally provides better performance, first to mix the cationic in the molten nonionic fabric lubricant or mix both together in liquid form, and then disperse the mixture in the aqueous carrier medium with good agitation. Depending upon the particular selection of nonionic lubricant and cationic surfactant, it may be necessary in certain cases to include other emulsifying ingredients or to employ more efficient means for dispersing and emulsifying the particles (e.g. high speed blender).

Normally, at 600 C, the softening agents exist in liquid form and therefore form true emulsions with an aqueous continuous phase. On cooling, the disperse phase may wholly or partially solidify so that the final composition exists as a dispersion which is not a true liquid/liquid emulsion. It will be understood that the term "dispersion" means liquid/liquid phase or solid/liquid phase dispersions and emulsions.

For normal use as rinse-added compositions, the disperse phase constitutes I30%, preferably 320%, more preferably 4--100/, of the composition.

The following examples illustrate the invention.

EXAMPLE 1 Glycerine monostearate (35 g) was melted at 65"C and to the melt was added DTDMAC (30 g) and stearyloxypropylaminopropylamine dihydrochloride (20 g).

The mixture was then dispersed by stirring into 1 litre of water to give a fabric softening composition in emulsion form.

EXAMPLE 2 Following the procedure of Example 1, a composition was prepared having 3% of DTDMAC, 3.5% of GMS and 2% of lauryloxypropylaminopropylamine in an aqueous dispersion containing the necessary quantity of hydrochloric acid to bring the pH of the final dispersion to a value of approximately 5.0. The composition of all the above examples gave excellent softening benefit on fabrics rinsed in a dilute solution of the compositions.

The following are further examples of the invention:

Example No. 3 4 5 6 Ingredients % % % % DTDMAC 2 1 2 1 GMS 3.5 3 2.5 3 Stearyloxypropylamino propylamine dihydrochloride 4 1.5 Lauryloxypropylamino propylamine diacetate - 1.5 - - Tetra-ethoxylated "Lilamin" LS 33 hydrochloride* - - - 1.5 N,N',N'-tris(2-hydroxy ethyl)stearyloxy propylaminopropyl amine dihydrochloride 1 - 2 1.5 * "Lilamin" is the Trade Mark of a surfactant sold by Lilachin.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A textile treatment composition in the form of an aqueous dispersion, the disperse phase comprising (a) a cationic surfactant selected from (i) compounds of the general formula

wherein R, is alkyl or alkenyl having from 8 to 22 carbon atoms; A is selected from -0-, -COO-, -OCO-, CO-NH-, -NH-CO- and -C8H4-; B is a polymethylene group with from 2 to 6 carbon atoms optionally interrupted by or bonded to an alicyclic or aromatic radical; ; each R2 is independently selected from hydrogen, C14 alkyl, C14 alkoxy, benzyl, (C2H4O)pH, (CH2CH2NH) H where p is from 1 to 3, and (CH2)3N(R6)2 where R8 is selected from hydrogen, C1-C4 alkyl and (C2H4O)pH; X- is an anion; n is from 1 to 4; and m is from 0 to 6, (ii) compounds of the general formula

wherein R3 is C10~22 alkyl or alkenyl; each R4 is independently selected from C14 alkoxy, benzyl, (CH2CH2NH)pH and (CH2)3N(R6)2 where each R8 is selected from hydrogen, C1-4 alkyl and (C2H4O)pH, and B, m and X are as hereinbefore defined,

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. The following are further examples of the invention: Example No. 3 4 5 6 Ingredients % % % % DTDMAC 2 1 2 1 GMS 3.5 3 2.5 3 Stearyloxypropylamino propylamine dihydrochloride 4 1.5 Lauryloxypropylamino propylamine diacetate - 1.5 - - Tetra-ethoxylated "Lilamin" LS 33 hydrochloride* - - - 1.5 N,N',N'-tris(2-hydroxy ethyl)stearyloxy propylaminopropyl amine dihydrochloride 1 - 2 1.5 * "Lilamin" is the Trade Mark of a surfactant sold by Lilachin. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A textile treatment composition in the form of an aqueous dispersion, the disperse phase comprising (a) a cationic surfactant selected from (i) compounds of the general formula

wherein R, is alkyl or alkenyl having from 8 to 22 carbon atoms; A is selected from -0-, -COO-, -OCO-, CO-NH-, -NH-CO- and -C8H4-; B is a polymethylene group with from 2 to 6 carbon atoms optionally interrupted by or bonded to an alicyclic or aromatic radical;; each R2 is independently selected from hydrogen, C14 alkyl, C14 alkoxy, benzyl, (C2H4O)pH, (CH2CH2NH) H where p is from 1 to 3, and (CH2)3N(R6)2 where R8 is selected from hydrogen, C1-C4 alkyl and (C2H4O)pH; X- is an anion; n is from 1 to 4; and m is from 0 to 6, (ii) compounds of the general formula

(iii) compounds of the general formula

wherein R5 is C10 to C22 alkyl or alkenyl optionally interrupted by --O, -COO-, -OCO-, -CONH-, -NHCO-, or -C8H4-, and wherein R2, B, X and m are as hereinbefore defined, (iv) compounds of the general formula

wherein R2, R5 and X are as hereinbefore defined, and (b) a nonionic fabric lubricant selected from (i) esters of C12-C24 fatty alcohols and C1-C8 mono- or polycarboxylic acids, whereby the total number of carbon atoms in the ester is equal to or greater than 16;; (ii) mono-ethers of C10-C24 fatty alcohols and mono- or poly-alcohols having from 2 to 8 carbon atoms (iii) compounds of the formula R3,-X'-R4, wherein R3, is a hydrocarbyl radical which has from 12 to 24 and R4, is a hydrocarbyl radical which has from 1 to 6 carbon atoms and can be hydroxyl-substituted, and X' stands for sulfur, -NHCO- or CONH; and (iv) esters of mono- or poly-hydric alcohols containing from I to 8 carbon atoms, or anhydrides thereof, and C10-C24 fatty acids.

2. A composition according to Claim 1 which contains from 0.5 Ó to 12O/o of each of components (a) and (b).

3. A composition according to Claim I or Claim 2, wherein the cationic surfactant is a non-quaternized diamine salt.

4. A composition according to Claim 3, wherein the diamine salt carries not less than one and not more than two ethoxylate substituents on the nitrogen atoms.

5. A composition according to any one of Claims 1A, wherein the nonionic fabric lubricant is a C18 to C22 fatty acid ester of sorbitan or glycerol.

6. A composition according to any one of Claims 1-5 and additionally comprising up to 6% of a cationic compatibilizing agent selected from di-C1022 alkyl-di-C14 alkyl ammonium salts, C8-25 alkyl imidazolinium salts and mixtures thereof.

7. A composition substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one of the Examples.