Back in the days, when Silicone softeners were first introduced, the prime and the only objective was to enhance the softness of the fabric. More the softness, more the garments were liked by the end-users and higher the amount they were willing to pay. The secret of the Silicone softeners used then lies in the wax-like layer they formed on the fabric surface which gave garments the smooth feel. This layer, however, prevented water droplets from penetrating, making the fibres lose their absorbency.

The lack of absorbency posed serious threats not just to the fabrics but also to the human body. Our body acts as an air conditioning system. It effectively maintains our body temperature by releasing moisture in the form of sweat to protect it from overheating. The wax-like layer formed by the Silicone softeners impedes the fabrics’ ability to absorb moisture or hydrophilicity, thereby hindering the fabrics from transporting sweat away from the skin. When sweat droplets remain in contact with the body for longer, it may lead to the garment becoming heavy and cause chafing.

This is especially a problem in underwear and sportswear where hydrophilicity is the major requirement. The polyester and spandex based products are generally used in the sportswear fabric due to their excellent wicking property. And thus, the Silicone softeners used in such garments must not downgrade the innate property of these materials. Although there are a number of Silicone softeners available in the market today which are plausibly better than the earlier ones, most of them aren’t as effective as today’s market needs them to be.