The use of silicones for softening fabrics, i.e., providing lubrication between fibers and yarns so that they move over one another more easily, has been well known for quite some time. In addition, the use of organomodified silicones for textile treatments has also been well documented over the years. (See U.S. Pat. Nos.: 4,620,878, Gee, issued Nov. 4, 1986; 4,705,704, Lane et al., issued Nov. 10, 1987; 4,800,026, Coffindaffer et al., issued Jan. 24, 1989; 4,824,877, Glover et al., issued Apr. 25, 1989; and 4,824,890, Glover et al., issued Apr. 25, 1989; also of interest is Brit. Pat. Appln. 87-29,489, Walbeoff, published Dec. 18, 1987, all of said patents and said application being incorporated herein by reference.) Silicones of these types are typically delivered to textiles in the form of aqueous emulsions. More recently, much work has concentrated on aqueous delivery systems containing silicone microemulsions. Microemulsions have been disclosed as having two advantages over conventional "macro" emulsions: (1) they are allegedly more stable and (2) they allegedly can require less mechanical energy to make.
Dyes are often used in consumer products to provide pleasing aesthetics. In the case of fabric care products, one wants to be able to provide the desired color aesthetics with as little dye as possible to minimize chances for staining clothes. Thus, one likes to be able to formulate with as low a level of dye as possible, yet provide a pleasant color aesthetic.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide aesthetically pleasing fabric care/microemulsified silicone compositions with lower dye levels than are required to provide the same effect in fabric care compositions containing conventional silicone macroemulsions.