Thinner Products for Greater Discretion: The Role Adhesives Play

When going about their daily activities at work and in their communities, users of adult incontinence and feminine hygiene products typically avoid wearing big, bulky diapers and pads in public. Instead, they are more likely to choose a thinner product for daytime use, saving the thicker articles to wear at home and while sleeping. As an absorbent article manufacturer, you can help meet the consumer need for discretion with use of thinner materials and designs.

Core designs for thinner disposable hygiene products

Because the core is the bulkiest part of the diaper or pad, product manufacturers normally start here when looking to create a thinner article. This means looking at what you currently offer and understanding your options. How your core is designed or constructed can contribute to discretion or detract from it. For example, the fluff used in traditional product cores adds bulk. For this reason, some manufacturers are attempting to decrease core thickness by reducing or removing fluff pulp from their products.

However, when you reduce or remove these fibres, which assist in absorbing liquids, acquisition and distribution must be accomplished in other ways. Various design options then come into consideration, each with different ratios of fluff to super-absorbent polymer (SAP) or eliminating the fluff entirely. With this in mind, variations of traditional and non-traditional core designs are emerging. Precompound/compound cores and channel cores are now being used in diapers for both the adult incontinence and baby care markets. Each of these designs has differing requirements for the adhesives. The adhesive used to form a channel core, for example, requires enhanced shear strength.

The ratio of fluff to SAP also varies from product to product based on intended use. For example, an open adult incontinence diaper used during the night would have more fluff and less SAP whereas a pull-on brief would need the opposite balance. 

Bonding thinner substrates with the right adhesive and add-on levels 

Today’s hygiene products may also incorporate thinner materials. The desire for these go beyond the need to achieve thinner or more discreet products; for example, they can be evaluated in cost reduction projects. No matter the final objective, making the right adhesive choices for thinner materials is important to both discretion and product performance. As you shift to thinner substrates, we recommend consulting with our adhesive experts. Our team can help ensure you are choosing the right adhesive and that it is being applied at an optimal add-on level to successfully and securely bond the substrates. Otherwise, your product may be at risk of adhesive bleedthrough, insufficient adhesive bonding strength, or even diminished product function could result.

Take advantage of all that Bostik can do for you

Connect with our experts today to discuss how you can offer thinner products to provide greater discretion. Once we understand your goals and your plans for core designs, we can help you achieve optimal product performance for both you and your consumers.