Stabilizing fragrance in fabric softeners with fermentation-derived cellulose

Globally, consumers are washing millions of loads of laundry every year – and relying on liquid fabric softener to not only combat wrinkles and static cling but add fragrance as well. Many fabric softeners today rely on cationic surfactants to bind by electrostatic attraction to the negatively charged groups on fabric fibres and smooth them, effectively lowering friction. Liquid fabric softener also delivers fragrance; but as it drains with the rinse cycle, it takes some fragrance benefits along with it. Some formulations are also not biodegradable, or they may not break down before reaching waterways and potentially harm the ecosystem (1). Any way to maximize biodegradability and minimize loss while still delivering softening and scent performance will significantly drive this market segment and help reduce aquatic pollution.
In this article, we will assess new cationic-compatible and readily biodegradable, fermentation-derived cellulose technology in the form of CELLULON® RC-76 Cellulose Liquid to stabilize biodegradable, encapsulated fragrance in liquid fabric softeners, and the effect of that stability on fragrance perception.