To provide a water/oil repellent composition whereby it is possible to obtain an article which is excellent in each of water-repellency, oil-repellency, washing durability, heavy rain durability and texture, a method for producing said composition, and an article which is excellent in each of water-repellency, oil-repellency, washing durability, heavy rain durability and texture. The water/oil repellent composition comprises a copolymer having units based on a monomer (a), units based on a monomer (b) and units based on a monomer (c), and a liquid medium. Monomer (a): a compound represented by (Z—Y).sub.nX (Z: a C.sub.1-6 perfluoroalkyl group, etc.; Y: a divalent organic group, etc.; n: 1 or 2; X: a polymerizable unsaturated group). Monomer (b): a (meth)acrylate having no polyfluoroalkyl group and having an alkyl group with at least 20 carbon atoms. Monomer (c): a compound represented by CH.sub.2═CR.sup.1C(O)O—[(C.sub.2H.sub.4O).sub.a(C.sub.4H.sub.8O).sub.b]—H (R.sup.1: a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, and a/b=1 to 3).

To provide a water/oil repellent composition whereby it is possible to obtain an article which is excellent in each of water-repellency, oil-repellency, washing durability, heavy rain durability and texture, a method for producing said composition, and an article which is excellent in each of water-repellency, oil-repellency, washing durability, heavy rain durability and texture. The water/oil repellent composition comprises a copolymer having units based on a monomer (a), units based on a monomer (b) and units based on a monomer (c), and a liquid medium. Monomer (a): a compound represented by (Z—Y).sub.nX (Z: a C.sub.1-6 perfluoroalkyl group, etc.; Y: a divalent organic group, etc.; n: 1 or 2; X: a polymerizable unsaturated group). Monomer (b): a (meth)acrylate having no polyfluoroalkyl group and having an alkyl group with at least 20 carbon atoms. Monomer (c): a compound represented by CH.sub.2═CR.sup.1C(O)O—[(C.sub.2H.sub.4O).sub.a(C.sub.4H.sub.8O).sub.b]—H (R.sup.1: a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, and a/b=1 to 3).

A softening agent composition including (1) a silicone polymer, (2) a water-repellent polymer, (3) an emulsifier, and (4) a liquid medium that is water or a mixture of water and an organic solvent. Also disclosed is a method for producing the softening agent composition which includes producing a water-repellent polymer by polymerizing, in the presence of the silicone polymer, a monomer that constitutes the water-repellent polymer. The water-repellent polymer may be at least one selected from the group consisting of fluorine-containing polymers and non-fluorine-containing polymers. Also disclosed is a method for treating a substrate with the softening agent composition and a substrate treated with the softening agent composition.

The present invention provides a water-repellent woven or knitted article that overcomes the problems of the related art and exhibits water-repellent properties and is excellent in abrasion resistance and durability. The water-repellent woven or knitted article of the present invention is a woven or knitted article subjected to a water repellent treatment using a water repellent having a perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) concentration of 5 ng/g or less, wherein the woven or knitted article includes, as constituent fibers, fibers having a transverse cross-sectional shape, each fiber has a plurality of grooves at an outer circumference of the transverse cross section, each groove has a wide part, and a size of the grooves in the fibers satisfies the following Formulae (Formula 1) and (Formula 2):

w2/w1≥1.3  (Formula 1)

0.15≤h/d≤0.25  (Formula 2) where w1 represents a groove entrance width, w2 represents a groove wide part width, h represents a groove depth, and d represents a diameter of the fiber, a droplet contact angle between the woven or knitted article and water is 135° or more after 20 times of washing in accordance with a method of JIS L 0217 103 and a water repellency is grade 4 or more in accordance with a spray method of JIS L 1092.

A fabric treatment composition is provided that includes at least one zeta potential modifier, a fluoropolymer and a hydrophobic agent with a melting point or glass transition temperature below 100 C., for imparting fabric protection benefits to a fabric, such as improved stain and soil resistance, oil repellency, water repellency, softness, wrinkle and damage resistance, and better hand feel. Fabric treatment compositions can be used as a pretreatment prior to washing, through soaking, or added to the treatment liquor, that is either the wash or rinse cycle of an automatic washing machine, to first provide and then maintain and refresh the fabric protection benefits imparted to the fabric. Following use of a first treatment composition, protective benefits are maintained and refreshed by means of a second treatment operation employing a second treatment composition. The second treatment composition may have lower active levels of the protective agents to provide for economical and periodic maintenance of the imparted fabric protection benefits.

A fabric treatment composition is provided that includes at least one zeta potential modifier, a fluoropolymer and a hydrophobic agent with a melting point or glass transition temperature below 100 C., for imparting fabric protection benefits to a fabric, such as improved stain and soil resistance, oil repellency, water repellency, softness, wrinkle and damage resistance, and better hand feel. Fabric treatment compositions can be used as a pretreatment prior to washing, through soaking, or added to the treatment liquor, that is either the wash or rinse cycle of an automatic washing machine, to first provide and then maintain and refresh the fabric protection benefits imparted to the fabric. Following use of a first treatment composition, protective benefits are maintained and refreshed by means of a second treatment operation employing a second treatment composition. The second treatment composition may have lower active levels of the protective agents to provide for economical and periodic maintenance of the imparted fabric protection benefits.

A water- and oil-repellent agent contains cellulose nanofibers, a compound having at least one functional group of an oxazoline group, a carbodiimide group, an epoxy group and an isocyanate group, as a crosslinking agent, and a perfluoroalkyl compound.

A water- and oil-repellent agent contains cellulose nanofibers, a compound having at least one functional group of an oxazoline group, a carbodiimide group, an epoxy group and an isocyanate group, as a crosslinking agent, and a perfluoroalkyl compound.

A fabric treatment composition is provided that includes at least one zeta potential modifier, a fluoropolymer and a hydrophobic agent with a melting point or glass transition temperature below 100 C., for imparting fabric protection benefits to a fabric, such as improved stain and soil resistance, oil repellency, water repellency, softness, wrinkle and damage resistance, and better hand feel. Fabric treatment compositions can be used as a pretreatment prior to washing, through soaking, or added to the treatment liquor, that is either the wash or rinse cycle of an automatic washing machine, to first provide and then maintain and refresh the fabric protection benefits imparted to the fabric, with the proviso that an intermediate rinsing step essentially devoid of added surfactant-is used after the washing cycle and prior to the fabric treatment step. Following use of a first treatment composition, protective benefits are maintained and refreshed by means of a second treatment operation employing a second treatment composition. The second treatment composition may have lower active levels of the protective agents to provide for economical and periodic maintenance of the imparted fabric protection benefits.

A fabric treatment composition is provided that includes at least one zeta potential modifier, a fluoropolymer and a hydrophobic agent with a melting point or glass transition temperature below 100 C., for imparting fabric protection benefits to a fabric, such as improved stain and soil resistance, oil repellency, water repellency, softness, wrinkle and damage resistance, and better hand feel. Fabric treatment compositions can be used as a pretreatment prior to washing, through soaking, or added to the treatment liquor, that is either the wash or rinse cycle of an automatic washing machine, to first provide and then maintain and refresh the fabric protection benefits imparted to the fabric, with the proviso that an intermediate rinsing step essentially devoid of added surfactant-is used after the washing cycle and prior to the fabric treatment step. Following use of a first treatment composition, protective benefits are maintained and refreshed by means of a second treatment operation employing a second treatment composition. The second treatment composition may have lower active levels of the protective agents to provide for economical and periodic maintenance of the imparted fabric protection benefits.