Abstract: A fabric softening product is a composition or article that is effective for its fabric softening purpose but preferably excludes ecotoxic quaternary ammonia salt, includes, as a fabric softening component, a PEC, which is an ester of pentaerythritol, an ester of an oligomer of pentaerythritol, an ester of a lower alkoxylated pentaerythritol or an ester of a lower alkoxylated pentaerythritol oligomer, with bentonite, which increases its fabric softening effect remarkably. The PEC is preferably a partial higher fatty acid ester of pentaerythritol or a partial higher fatty acid ester of a pentaerythritol oligomer, the bentonite is preferably sodium bentonite or swellable calcium bentonite, the fabric softening composition is a softergent or a non-detersive composition, both of which may be in solid (preferably particulate solid) or liquid state or form (preferably in aqueous suspension or gel), and the fabric softening article is an absorbent material with bentonite and PEC deposited on it or absorbed by it.

Abstract: A particulate fabric softening composition and a particulate fabric softening detergent composition are described, both of which include bentonite powder agglomerated into larger particulate bead or granule form with a normally solid co-melt of a pentaerythritol compound (PEC), such as pentaerythritol ditallowate (PEDT), and a nonionic surfactant, such as a condensation product of a mole of a C.sub.12-15 fatty alcohol with seven moles of ethylene oxide. The fabric softening composition described may be added to wash (or rinse water) but preferably is incorporated in a particulate built synthetic organic anionic and/or nonionic detergent composition to produce a fabric softening detergent composition. The invented detergent compositions are especially suitable for washing laundry in "cold" water, such as water at 40.degree. C.