Paint thickening – low-foaming and efficient stabilizer for water-based paints.

Oil production – build viscosity in drilling, work-over, and completion fluids for oil recovery operations.

Latex polymerization – create monomer emulsions, stabilize growing polymer particles during polymerization, and impart freeze/thaw and shear stability to the latex product.

Agriculture – suspend solid pesticides in water-based sprays, help bind the pesticide to foliage, and help thicken spray emulsions to reduce spray drift. HEC can also be used as a seed coating.

Construction – gypsum, cement, lime, and organic plasters, tile adhesives, and
mortars.

Cosmetics and detergents – thickener, film-former, binder, stabilizer, and dispersant in shampoos, creams, neutralizers, and lotions.

Paper and inks – gloss and ink hold-out sizing. Also contributes to improved
grease resistance and improved water retention of coating colors.

Textile sizes, coatings, binders, and adhesives and dyeing aids – warp sizing and finishes that can be removed by laundering, as well as an adhesive thickener and binder to control strike-through and improve print definition.

Household products – thickener, stabilizer, and binder in liquid detergents and
cleaners, fabric softeners, polishes, and air fresheners.