DOWNY - DON'T USE DEAD HORSES IN FABRIC SOFTENER

Downy Fabric Softener uses animal fat to coat fabrics and create softness. Dihydrogenated tallow dimethyl ammonium chloride from the rendered fat of sheep, cattle and horses is boiled and mixed with ammonium (NH4) to create quaternary ammonium (quat), which coats fabrics and makes them soft to the touch. There are other quats in this product, such as 1-methyl-1-tallowamidoethyl-2 -tallowimidazolinium methylsulfate. There is no way for consumers to be assured that these ingredients do not contain tallow from equine sources. Recent accusations of horse tallow in fabric softener have alarmed consumers who are opposed to equine slaughter. PLEASE CLEARLY LIST YOUR SOURCES. While we would prefer vegan or vegetarian alternatives, we absolutely refuse to purchase a product that may contain products from the horse slaughter industry.

http://soulveggie.blogs.com/my_weblog/2008/12/downy-coats-briefs-with-horse-fat.html

http://www.treehugger.com/green-food/vegan-kosher-halal-alert-fabric-softeners-are-made-from-rendered-animal-fat.html

http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/magazine/16-12/st_whatsinside

http://www.theequinest.com/animal-friendly-fabric-softener/

http://www.madehow.com/Volume-7/Fabric-Softener.html