The present disclosure is directed to provide a hollow fiber which is lightweight and has a texture with good volumic feel and good cushioning property. The hollow fiber of the present disclosure is a hollow fiber composed of a composition containing a vinylidene chloride-based resin as a main component, wherein the hollow fiber has a hollow ratio of more than 30% and 70% or less, an average outer diameter of 50 to 900 m, a strength of 0.7 to 2 g/d, and a heat shrinkage rate after being heated at 100 C. for 15 minutes of 30% or less.

Process for the preparation of a vinylidene chloride polymer comprising polymerizing vinylidene chloride and optionally at least one ethylenically unsaturated monomer copolymerizable therewith under the control of a RAFT agent of formula (II).

##STR00001##

Process for the preparation of a vinylidene chloride polymer comprising polymerizing vinylidene chloride and optionally at least one ethylenically unsaturated monomer copolymerizable therewith under the control of a RAFT agent of formula (II).

##STR00001##

A method of manufacturing an anti-soiling carpet comprises a step of treating a carpet with a liquid solution containing an anti-soiling agent, the anti-soiling agent containing a non-fluorinated polymer () and a non-fluorinated polymer (ii), the non-fluorinated polymer () containing a constituent unit derived from a monomer represented by formula (A-1) with a specified ratio and another constituent unit derived from a specified (meth)acrylate ester monomer, the non-fluorinated polymer () containing a constituent unit derived from at least one monomer of methyl methacrylate and ethyl methacrylate with a specified ratio and a another constituent unit derived from another specified (meth)acrylate ester monomer:

##STR00001## wherein R.sup.1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, and R.sup.2 represents a monovalent hydrocarbon group having 12 to 30 carbon atoms, optionally having a substituent.

A method of manufacturing an anti-soiling carpet comprises a step of treating a carpet with a liquid solution containing an anti-soiling agent, the anti-soiling agent containing a non-fluorinated polymer () and a non-fluorinated polymer (ii), the non-fluorinated polymer () containing a constituent unit derived from a monomer represented by formula (A-1) with a specified ratio and another constituent unit derived from a specified (meth)acrylate ester monomer, the non-fluorinated polymer () containing a constituent unit derived from at least one monomer of methyl methacrylate and ethyl methacrylate with a specified ratio and a another constituent unit derived from another specified (meth)acrylate ester monomer:

##STR00001## wherein R.sup.1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, and R.sup.2 represents a monovalent hydrocarbon group having 12 to 30 carbon atoms, optionally having a substituent.

A surface treatment agent containing: (A) a water repellent oil repellent polymer having a repeating unit derived from at least one water repellent oil repellent monomer selected from (A1) fluorine-containing monomers and (A2) non-fluorine monomers having a hydrocarbon group with 7-40 carbon atoms; (B) a silicone polymer represented by formula R.sup.53.sub.3SiO[Si(R.sup.51).sub.2O].sub.a[Si(R.sup.51)(R.sup.52)O].sub.bSiR.sup.53.sub.3 (wherein each R.sup.51 group independently represents hydrogen, alkyl having 1-20 carbon atoms, aryl having 6-20 carbon atoms or alkoxy having 1-4 carbon atoms; each R.sup.52 independently represents a saturated hydrocarbon group having 23-40 carbon atoms; each R.sup.53 independently represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1-20 carbon atoms, an aryl group having 6-20 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1-4 carbon atoms or a saturated hydrocarbon group having 23-40 carbon atoms; a represents an integer of 0 or more; b represents an integer of 1 or more; and (a+b) is 10-200); and (C) a liquid medium.

A surface treatment agent containing: (A) a water repellent oil repellent polymer having a repeating unit derived from at least one water repellent oil repellent monomer selected from (A1) fluorine-containing monomers and (A2) non-fluorine monomers having a hydrocarbon group with 7-40 carbon atoms; (B) a silicone polymer represented by formula R.sup.53.sub.3SiO[Si(R.sup.51).sub.2O].sub.a[Si(R.sup.51)(R.sup.52)O].sub.bSiR.sup.53.sub.3 (wherein each R.sup.51 group independently represents hydrogen, alkyl having 1-20 carbon atoms, aryl having 6-20 carbon atoms or alkoxy having 1-4 carbon atoms; each R.sup.52 independently represents a saturated hydrocarbon group having 23-40 carbon atoms; each R.sup.53 independently represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1-20 carbon atoms, an aryl group having 6-20 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1-4 carbon atoms or a saturated hydrocarbon group having 23-40 carbon atoms; a represents an integer of 0 or more; b represents an integer of 1 or more; and (a+b) is 10-200); and (C) a liquid medium.

An aqueous dispersion free of fluorochemicals comprising (A) at least one copolymer obtained by polymerization of the following monomers a) at least one fluorine-free (meth)acrylate ester of a C.sup.16-C.sup.18 alcohol, b) at least one fluorine-free (meth)acrylate ester of a C.sup.18-C.sup.22 alcohol, c) at least one monomer selected from the group of vinyl chloride and vinylidene chloride, and, optionally, d) at least one monomer selected from the group of 2-hydroxyethyl(meth)acrylate and 3-chloro-2-hydroxyethyl(meth)acrylate, (B) at least one component selected from the group of a paraffin wax, (C) at least one surfactant, and (D) water, wherein the monomers a) and b) of copolymer (A) are distinct, and the copolymer (A) does not contain any polymerized units of styrene or -methylstyrene, is useful for the finishing of natural and synthetic textile fabrics to endow the said fabrics with excellent water repellent properties.

An aqueous dispersion free of fluorochemicals comprising (A) at least one copolymer obtained by polymerization of the following monomers a) at least one fluorine-free (meth)acrylate ester of a C.sup.16-C.sup.18 alcohol, b) at least one fluorine-free (meth)acrylate ester of a C.sup.18-C.sup.22 alcohol, c) at least one monomer selected from the group of vinyl chloride and vinylidene chloride, and, optionally, d) at least one monomer selected from the group of 2-hydroxyethyl(meth)acrylate and 3-chloro-2-hydroxyethyl(meth)acrylate, (B) at least one component selected from the group of a paraffin wax, (C) at least one surfactant, and (D) water, wherein the monomers a) and b) of copolymer (A) are distinct, and the copolymer (A) does not contain any polymerized units of styrene or -methylstyrene, is useful for the finishing of natural and synthetic textile fabrics to endow the said fabrics with excellent water repellent properties.

Provided is a surface treatment agent which does not use fluorine-containing monomers, particularly fluoroalkyl group-containing monomers. Additionally, provided is a copolymer which includes a first polymer formed from first monomers, and a second polymer formed from second monomers. The copolymer does not include fluorine. The second polymer is polymerized in the presence of the first polymer. The first monomers include a long-chain acrylate ester monomer (a) represented by the formula CH.sub.2=CA.sup.11-C(O)O-A.sup.12 (in the formula, A.sup.11 represents hydrogen, a monovalent organic group, or a halogen, and A.sup.12 represents a C.sub.18-30 straight-chain or branched hydrocarbon group). The first monomers and the second monomers both include a halogenated olefin monomer (b).