In the 1960s, the introduction of fabric softeners transformed rough, scratchy clothes into softer, more comfortable garments. But recently, the products’ popularity has dipped in part due to millennials’ concern for their potential environmental impact, according to recent news reports. Now one team has developed a better method for evaluating fabric softeners that could lead to potentially “greener”—and more millennial-friendly—versions. Their study appears in ACS’ The Journal of Physical Chemistry B.