How Revolutionary is something like this

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2044033654/sofft-super-hero-of-fabric-softeners-blocks-stains

Very interested in their claims there... Clothes repel water.... stains... odor... and dry faster. Leading to less washing... less drying plus faster drying and even less detergent. Seems like a win for sure but what are the trade offs. They say

ingredients are bio-inert, so they won’t harm the environment

Very interesting

It looks great. I've seen a lot of late night commercials where the product looked great. I never use fabric softener. If I see this in a store, I'll give it a try.

It is sealing up the cotton, which changes its properties significantly... some for the good, some for the bad, depending on the application.

I guess right now the only way to get it through the kickstarter for like $30... eventually they want to be able to sell it for $10 a bottle once they start mass manf. Sorry if this seems liek a commercial.. totally just wanted to get peoples thoughts on it with a permaculture eye.

R Scott wrote:It is sealing up the cotton, which changes its properties significantly... some for the good, some for the bad, depending on the application.

I wonder if it messes with cotton's ability to absorb and wick water. In that case, I might use it during the winter deluge and then ease up in the spring. This assumes that my shirts get washed at least seasonally.

True correct... We do cloth diapers and This would totally ruin them. They are washed separately anyway. But towels and Rags we throw in with everything else... We wouldn't do that anymore for sure. You would just have to think about that a bit differently.

I'm thinking alternate uses. Rather than clothing, I wonder if the stuff can be applied to other items such as exterior walls, roofing, fence posts.
There is a product out there with a name something like 'ultra super dry' (found it) that repels mud and slop when applied to surfaces. I did the math on what it would cost to treat my house and found the price prohibitive.
This sort of product would be handy for protecting some outdoor items if the price is right.
How about a canvas awning, a tent, stones in a walkway, work boots or glass in a greenhouse?
Can it turn a regular jacket into a rain suit?
Will it keep water off the driveway or a vehicle, especially in freezing weather?
I'd be curious if the product will leach out of the item to which it is applied and if there are any environmental concerns.

The ultra everdry stuff runs a hundred bucks for a couple quarts.
If this fabric softener comes in at 10 bucks a quart, it's affordable for experimentation.

This stuff does not break down. So to the water treatment plant and into the river so the next city downstream can drink it.

Reminds me of the Film the man in the white suit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_in_the_White_Suit

David

Sofft™ is bio-inert, which means that it will not be decomposed by bacteria.

Thats absolutely prohibitive. It should be forbidden to sell that stuff.

regards
Ludger

It sounds like 'scotch guard' for clothes, what ever that stuff is. I would rather live with some stains on my clothes (as I do) and have natural fibers that breath. One of many reasons I prefer thrift store clothes is that they are many more washes away from brand new clothes and the toxic gick used in manufacturing processes.
and I agree, the fact that it doesn't break down is enough reason to keep it off the market.

Yeah... I thought that any claims of being "Green" were kind of silly. I am glad to be able to post this and hear out the conversation. I feel like the waste water treatment plant would probably be able to remove this easily since it is hydrophobic and would probably be removed the same way they use to remove oils but I feel better about not introducing it in the environment anyway.