Coupled　with　the　improvement　in　people’s　living　standards,　the　demand　for　textiles　having　a special　performance　like　water　repellency　is　mushrooming.　In　this　study,　the　cationic　fluorinated　acrylate　copolymer　latex　particles　with　a　core–shell　structure　were　synthesized　via　semicontinuous　seed　emulsion　polymerization　process,　using　Span　80,　Tween　80,　and　dodecyltrimethylammonium　chloride　as　composite　emulsifier　and　(2-(acryloyloxy)ethyl)trimethylammonium　chloride　as　a　cationic　monomer.　Cationic　fluorinated　acrylate　copolymers　were　successfully　confirmed　through　the　FTIR,　1H　NMR,　and　XPS　analyses.　In　addition,　the　homogeneous　latex　particles　(~　132 nm　of　average　size)　with　an　evident　core–shell　structure　were　observed　by　TEM　analysis,　and　a　stable　positive　charge　(48　±　5 mV)　on　the　surface　of　latex　particles　was　demonstrated　by　zeta　potential　analysis.　Meanwhile,　the　results　showed　that　the　dosage　of　dodecafluoroheptyl　methacrylate　(DFMA)　played　a　vital　role　in　the　hydrophobicity　of　the　latex　films　and　the　one　with　the　best　water　repellency　was　identified　with　10 g　of　DFMA　dosage.　Furthermore,　the　cotton　fabric　finishing　experiments　demonstrated　that,　after　finishing　by　the　cationic　fluorinated　acrylate　copolymer　emulsion,　the　treated　cotton　fabric　exhibited　excellent　hydrophobicity　even　at　low　concentration,　with　>　130°　of　the　water　contact　angle　and　>　60 min　of　the　static　absorbing　time.　©　2020,　American　Coatings　Association.