Aug 28, 2024 - 3-5 Minutes
Not Your Mother’s Period Pad: Adhesives Support Comfort and Protection
Since the late 1890s, period care products have kept pace with technological advancements and evolving consumer needs. Today, supported by specialty adhesives, period pads offer enhanced comfort, discretion, and reliable leak protection to assist users in managing their menstrual cycles.
Meeting the period care needs of those who menstruate is a complex task, made even more challenging by the shifting landscape of:
- Societal changes
- Medical advances
- Technological innovation
- Consumer preferences
Hygiene adhesives for construction and pad attachment play a key role in supporting ongoing innovation in this expanding market segment.
From Sanitary Belts to Modern Menstrual Products
Period products have come a long way since Lister Towels were first introduced in the 1890s as “sanitary napkins for ladies.” Over the generations, these disposable products have offered an ever more reliable solution for managing menstrual cycles.
Improving Comfort and Discretion
The earliest period care products bear little resemblance to the products consumers rely on today. Far from discreet and comfortable, cumbersome sanitary belts were used to hold absorbent cloths in place. The belts could be bulky and were often visible under clothing. Women found them a source of both discomfort and social distress.
Over the course of the 20th century, new products were created and gained popularity. Early examples of the disposable pad were rather simple, offered minimal absorbency, and were available in only one size. Even so, they marked a significant jump toward convenience and discretion.
By the mid-century, material science brought additional innovation toward thinner products with improved absorbency. Reusable cloth and cotton gave way to breathable, absorbent cores made from wood pulp.
The introduction of superabsorbent polymers (SAP) in the 1960s marked a giant leap toward thinner, more comfortable pads. And just in time to coincide with a growing emphasis on active lifestyles, personal needs, and menstrual heath.
The Pad’s Unsung Hero: The Role of Adhesives
Major Trends Continue to Shape Change (max 55 characters with spaces)
The contemporary period care pad is the result of years of dialogue between manufacturers and pad consumers. Here are some of the key trends that have driven the ongoing evolution of period care pads:
- Increasing comfort and leak-proof protection. Today, those who menstruate look for pads that fit their bodies and provide reliable leak protection. Pad producers have developed options that fit the contours of the body. Other advances along these lines include super-absorbency, breathable materials, and thinner core construction.
- Enhanced sustainability. Our impact on the environment is a growing concern for many. Manufacturers are responding by developing disposable pads with more natural, biodegradable, and chlorine-free materials.
- Personalization and customization. The diversity of needs and preferences is being embraced by the industry. Today’s pads come in a wider variety of lengths, thicknesses, absorbencies, and wing designs. We have even seen pads targeting transgendered men who menstruate.
As absorbent hygiene articles evolved, they became complex systems with multiple substrates and components. Product manufacturers needed specially formulated adhesives to keep everything in its place and working effectively. Today, Bostik is one of the industry’s leading suppliers of adhesive solutions for absorbent hygiene products.
Enabling the Modern Period Pad
While the pad’s core and surface layers often gain the most attention, the role of adhesives remains invaluable. Comprising only about 2-3% of the article by weight, these hot-melt hygiene adhesives perform several essential functions.
- Durable pad construction. Adhesives support the integrity of the modern pad. From attaching wings to stabilizing SAP, they keep various components in place for reliable performance.
- Secure pad attachment. Positioning adhesives allow the pad to adhere comfortably to underwear throughout the body’s many movements. This helps to prevent shifting which could result in leaks.
- Natural and sustainable materials. Adhesives allow the use of cotton and other natural fibers, as well as bio-based substrates.
Bostik: Experts in Absorbent Hygiene Adhesives
The future of period care promises continued advancements benefitting all those who menstruate. Our team expects—and looks forward to seeing—a continued shift toward sustainable materials and more personalized product offerings.
Bostik adhesives can help enable current and future innovations as you design ever-more comfortable, reliable leak protection for your consumers.
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