Fabric Conditioning Composition

1 . An aqueous conditioning composition comprising:

(i) a water-insoluble, non-ester, quaternary ammonium fabric conditioning agent having at least 2 alkyl and/or alkenyl groups of at least 12 carbon atoms, or an alkyl or alkenyl group having a chain length of at least 20 carbon atoms.

(ii) a water-soluble quaternary ammonium cationic surfactant and

(iii) perfume, at least a portion of which is encapsulated in a shell based on melamine/formaldehyde.

2 . An aqueous conditioning composition in which the fabric conditioning agent has the formula:

wherein

R 1 and R 2 independently represent alkyl or alkenyl groups of from about 12 to about 24 carbon atoms;

R 3 and R 4 independently represent alkyl, alkenyl or hydroxyalkyl groups containing from 1 to about 4 carbon atoms; and

X is the salt counter-anion, preferably selected from halide, methyl sulfate and ethyl sulfate radicals.

3 . An aqueous fabric conditioning composition as claimed in claim 1 in which the fabric conditioning agent has a iodine value of from 0 to 50.

4 . An aqueous fabric conditioning composition as claimed in claim 1 in which the fabric conditioning agent is present in an amount of from 0.5 to 50, preferably 1 to 25, more preferably 3 to 20% by weight of the composition.

5 . An aqueous fabric conditioning composition as claimed in claim 1 in which the water-soluble quaternary ammonium cationic surfactant has the formula:

wherein:

R 5 represents a C 8 -C 24 alkyl or alkenyl group,

R 6 represents hydrogen, a C 1 -C 12 alkyl, alkenyl or hydroxyalkyl group, an aryl group, a

C 1-6 alkylaryl group, or a poly(ethylene oxide) group having from 2 to 20 ethylene oxide units, R 7 and R 8 individually represent hydrogen, a C 1 -C 4 alkyl, alkenyl or hydroxyalkyl group or a poly(ethylene oxide) group having from 2 to 20 ethylene oxide units and

X is as defined above.

6 . An aqueous fabric conditioning composition as claimed in claim 5 in which the water-soluble quaternary ammonium cationic surfactant is benzalkonium chloride.

7 . An aqueous fabric conditioning composition as claimed in claim 1 in which the water-soluble quaternary ammonium cationic surfactant is present in an amount of from 0.05 to 8, preferably 0.2 to 5, more preferably 0.25 to 2% by weight of the composition.

8 . An aqueous fabric conditioning composition as claimed in claim 1 in which the composition comprises from 0.1 to 5% by weight of perfume and at least 2% by weight of said perfume is encapsulated.

9 . An aqueous fabric conditioning composition as claimed in claim 8 in which the weight ratio of free to encapsulated perfume is in the range 98:2 to 10:90, preferably 80:20 to 20:80.

10 . An aqueous fabric conditioning as claimed in claim 1 in which the composition additionally comprises a fatty coactive agent selected from fatty acids and fatty alcohols.

11 . An aqueous fabric conditioning composition as claimed in claim 10 in which the fatty coactive is hardened tallow fatty acid.

12 . An aqueous fabric conditioning composition as claimed in claim 10 in which the fatty coactive is present in an amount of from 0.05 to 10, preferably 0.2 to 5, more preferably 0.4 to 2% by weight of the compositions.

13 . A method of preparing a fabric conditioning composition comprising:

(i) a water-insoluble, non-ester, quaternary ammonium fabric conditioning agent having at least 2 alkyl and/or alkenyl groups of at least 12 carbon atoms, or an alkyl or alkenyl group having a chain length of at least 20 carbon atoms.

(ii) a water-soluble quaternary ammonium cationic surfactant and

(iii) perfume, at least a portion of which is encapsulated,

the method comprising adding the encapsulated perfume to water prior to the addition of the water-insoluble quaternary ammonium fabric conditioning agent and adding the water-soluble quaternary ammonium cationic surfactant after the addition of the water-insoluble quaternary ammonium fabric conditioning agent and any free perfume and at a temperature below the phase transition temperature of the composition.

14 . (canceled)