PURPOSE: To provide a fabric softening agent comprising the specific quaternary ammonium compd. which can be easily dispersed in cold water and which can form a stable concentrated form.

CONSTITUTION: A fabric softening agent comprises a compd. of formula I (wherein X is an anion; A is an (m+n) valent radical remaining after the removal of (m+n) hydroxy groups from an aliphatic polyol having hydroxy groups and an atomic ratio of carbon to oxygen of 1.0 to 3.0 and having max. 2 groups per hydroxy group selected from ethylene oxide and propylene oxide; (m) is 0 or 1 to (p-n); (n) is 1 to (p-m); and (p) is 2; B is 1-4C alkylene or the like; R1-R4 are each 1-48C alkyls or the like; R2 and R3 form each a ring system contg. 5 or 6 atoms in the ring, with the proviso that the average compd. has at least one 22-48C R group, or the like), particularly biodegradable quaternary ammonium compd. optionally with substitution by one or more functional groups and/or interruption by at most 10 ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide groups, or having interruption by at most two functional groups selected from formulae II-VI.