A detergent composition having cold water solubility and exhibiting high calcium tolerance can be produced from biodegradable branched ether derivative compositions derived from a branched ether primary alcohol represented by the formula: ##STR00001## wherein R.sub.1 represents hydrogen or a hydrocarbyl radical having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms, R.sub.2 represents a hydrocarbyl radical having from 1 to 7 carbon atoms, x is a number ranging from 0 to 16, preferably from 3 to 13, wherein the total number of carbon atoms in the alcohol ranges from 9 to 24.