Optical Brighteners (OBAs), also called Fluorescent Brightening Agents (FBAs) or Fluorescent Whitening Agents (FWAs), are chemical compounds that absorb ultraviolet light and re-emit it as visible blue light — making fabrics, paper, and detergents appear whiter and brighter than they actually are. They work by compensating for the natural yellowish tint in materials. CBS-X is widely used in liquid detergents and fabric softeners, while OB-1 is used in plastics, synthetic fibres, and coatings.