FC-6.3
Delicate Fabric Liquid
Ingredients
| Raw Material | % w/w (as received) | Function | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deionised water | 67.80 | Solvent | To 100% |
| APG (C12–C14, 50%) | 12.00 | Primary surfactant | Mild; renewable; >98% biodegradable |
| SLES 70% | 6.00 | Co-surfactant | Reduced level for mildness |
| CAPB 30% | 5.00 | Co-surfactant | Viscosity; foam quality |
| Sodium citrate | 3.00 | Mild builder | Neutral pH compatible |
| Propylene glycol (MPG) | 3.00 | Hydrotrope | |
| HEC (hydroxyethyl cellulose) | 0.80 | Thickener | Nonionic; salt-tolerant; clear films |
| Sodium chloride (NaCl) | 0.80 | Thickener | Fine adjustment |
| Glycerin (glycerol) | 2.00 | Fiber conditioner | Humectant; hand-feel |
| Lanolin derivative (PEG-75) | 0.50 | Fiber conditioning | Wool lipid replacement |
| Optical brightener (CBS-X, 20% slurry) | 0.10 | Brightening | Reduced for delicates |
| Fragrance (gentle floral) | 0.40 | Aesthetic | Hypoallergenic grade |
| Colourant | 0.01 | Aesthetic | |
| Preservative (sodium benzoate + potassium sorbate) | 0.60 | Preservation | pH <8 effective; food-grade |
| Citric acid (50% solution) | q.s. | pH adjustment | Target pH 6.8–7.2 |
| Total | 100.00 |
Addition Order & Process
Expected Parameters
Formulation Notes
Delicate fabrics — wool, silk, cashmere, and fine synthetics — require neutral pH, absence of aggressive enzymes, and mild surfactants that do not strip natural oils or damage protein fiber structure.Standard HDL formulations at pH 8.0–9.5 cause cumulative damage to wool and silk through cystine bond hydrolysis and cuticle lifting. FC-6.3 addresses these constraints with a pH-neutral, enzyme-free, APG-based system.
Formulation Card FC-6.3: Delicate Fabric Liquid Laundry Detergent
APG at 12% (6% active) is the dominant surfactant, providing ISO 16128 natural origin index compliance and the lowest eye and skin irritation scores of any surfactant class in this chapter.The complete absence of enzymes is deliberate: even mild cellulases can cause tensile strength loss in silk (>5% at 5 wash cycles), and proteases hydrolyze wool keratin.HEC replaces CMC as the primary thickener because its nonionic character avoids any electrostatic interaction with potential cationic conditioning agents; it also forms clear, flexible films that contribute to fabric feel. The lanolin derivative at 0.5% replaces wool lipids stripped during washing, reducing felting and preserving fiber elasticity. The preservative system switches from isothiazolinones (sensitization risk) to benzoate/sorbate, acceptable at pH <8.#### 6.2.3 Concentrated Gel (FC-6.4)
Concentrated gel detergents deliver maximum active matter in a viscous, structured format that adheres to fabric during pre-treatment and enables small-dose dispensing (25–35 g per wash). The defining characteristic is very high viscosity (3,000–8,000 cP) achieved through polymer thickening rather than salt-curve alone.
Formulation Card FC-6.4: Concentrated Gel Laundry Detergent
The concentrated gel format exemplifies the viscosity-building hierarchy: HEC at 2% provides the structural backbone through chain entanglement, xanthan at 0.5% introduces shear-thinning pseudoplasticity (high viscosity at rest for suspension, low viscosity under shear for dispensing), and sodium chloride at 3% optimizes micelle geometry within the salt-curve maximum.The combined thickener system at 2.5% total is necessary because neither salt nor polymer alone achieves the target 3,000–8,000 cP window in a 25%+ active matter system. The dosage reduction to 25–35 g per wash offsets the higher raw material cost per kilogram; the environmental benefit is reduced packaging and transport emissions per wash cycle.