An Overview of the Development of Hygienic Absorbent Products
People have needed products to contain bodily fluids since time immemorial so it is not surprising that the history of modern absorbent hygiene products dates back to ancient times. In the baby care sector swaddling clothes were used with an absorbent inner layer, to provide cover, protection and containment. In the feminine hygiene sector, both internal and external protection products were known at least 3500 years ago. Today’s absorbent hygiene products offer a level of sophistication, comfort and discretion unsought of by previous generations but taken for granted today as an everyday essential of modern life by millions of people throughout the world.
Baby DiapersBefore 1936 diapers were mainly either cotton-based ribbed toweling or a cotton muslin type material both of which, with laundering, could be reused. These typically took the form of a square of material which was wrapped around the baby and fixed in place with safety pins. The diaper was then covered with reusable plastic or rubber pants with elasticized leg openings. In the late 1930s early forms of tissue-based disposable under pads and diaper inserts were introduced in Sweden. Developed by Pauliström Bruk, a number of versions of this basic product emerged between 1936 and 1942 including the use of rubber pants to hold the cellulose pad in place. In 1950 the company introduced a new version of the product based on bleached cellulose wadding with a knitted mesh outer layer which could be inserted into a holding pocket in a rubber pant. In the same year Johnson & Johnson introduced a rectangular under pad product based on cellulose wadding with wet strength tissue as the cover-stock and plastic as the backing. In 1957 SCA Hygiene Products (formerly Mölnlycke) introduced a ‘pear shaped’ insert formed from de-fibred wood pulp with a knitted mesh cover.
The convenient disposable baby diaper is a relatively new invention; credited to Marion Donovan who in 1950 cut her shower curtain into plastic envelopes into which she slipped absorbent material, using snap closures to secure the diaper on her baby. This form of disposable diaper was an immediate success, due largely to the time saving attractions it offered to the increasing number of working mothers. However, the disposable baby diaper revolution began in earnest in 1961 when Procter & Gamble introduced the first disposable diaper in the USA, based on cellulose wadding with a plastic backing and a nonwoven top sheet. Subsequent developments saw the introduction of fluff pulps in place of dissolving grade wood pulps, the addition of adhesive tapes and the use of plastic back sheets.
Further developments in the mid-1980s owed much to the availability of improved superabsorbent polymers and better methods to add the polymer to the pulp core, as well as innovations such as frontal and re-sealable tapes, and elasticized waists. The introduction in 1989 of the first disposable training pants by Kimberly-Clark created a product to assist in the transition from the child’s diapering period to successful toilet training. Training pants have less absorption than a conventional diaper resulting in reduced comfort when wet. The pant itself is more underwear-like in design and is easier for the child to put on and remove during toilet training. Recently this product segment has evolved to include several innovative features intended to trigger the child to prefer using the toilet as well as the introduction of trainers with higher levels of absorbency for use at night. In 1991 the first pant diaper was introduced. This product category has the same absorption capabilities as the conventional open diaper. With its higher absorbency and the fit of a pant diaper, it provides an alternative to diapers for children starting to crawl, walk and move around.
Disposable diapers today are much thinner and more absorbent than their earlier counterparts and as a result are more effective. They are more comfortable for the infant to wear and more convenient for parents to use. In addition their usage has been accompanied by a marked reduction in skin irritation in individual children and a decrease in the spread of infectious disease amongst children in group care environments.
Feminine Care ProductsDisposable pads were first commercially available around 1895 with several of the first disposable pad manufacturers also being manufacturers of bandages. However, at that time the subject of menstruation was not openly discussed and the market was slow to progress because of the difficulties of product promotion and the product’s perceived expense. Their usage gained momentum during the First World War when nurses used wood pulp bandages to catch their menstrual flow, creating a pad that was made from easily obtainable materials and inexpensive enough to throw away after use. Successful commercialization commenced in the 1920s since when the use of disposable menstrual pads has become pervasive in the industrialized world.
During the 1970s and early 1980s menstrual pad product development was significantly influenced by developments in baby diapers and as experience was gained in one field, it was rapidly incorporated into the other.
One of the most significant developments was the use of hot melt adhesives in self adhesive pads. These products could be held in place by glue lines on the back of the pad, which fixed the product in position within the normal panty garment, eliminating the need for belts and pins.
Further developments focused on facilitating better fluid distribution and use of the absorbent core. This led the way to much thinner products. More recent developments have included the addition of “wings” to the sides of products to facilitate the fixing of the pad in place in the undergarment. This assists in stopping bunching and preventing side leakage from the pad. This concept was further developed and extended into the development of “panty liner” type products, which are not primarily intended for management of menstrual flow, but are designed to handle body fluids at any time. This allowed the products to be much smaller, thinner and more discreet while still fulfilling an important need.
TamponsAlthough a modern product, the principle of an internally (inside the body) worn hygiene product is not new; their use is recorded over 2000 years ago when Egyptian women were known to have formed smooth papyrus into rolls to insert into their vagina to collect menstrual flow.
Industrially manufactured tampons were first introduced into the US market in 1936 and came to Europe in 1938. The market response was initially tentative due to concerns about the impact of tampons on virginity and sexuality. This was soon replaced by broad product acceptance as women began to experience the benefits of using tampons during their menstrual period for the increased freedom and flexibility they provided for participating in work, leisure and sporting activities. Since then, billions of tampons have been sold all over the world.
The principle function of tampons is to absorb the menstrual fluid intra-vaginally, after it has left the uterus, thus offering very discreet protection. In contrast to externally worn pads, tampons require a more detailed knowledge of the female anatomy. When inserted correctly in line with the in-pack instructions, the presence of the tampon is not felt, thus allowing all kinds of activities. They can be used, for example, for swimming during menstruation.
To meet the individual menstrual protection needs of women due to variances in menstrual bleeding patterns, tampons with different absorbent capacities are offered. Tampons come in different versions; either they are inserted with the finger (digital tampons) or with an insertion aid (applicator).
Incontinence ProductsAbsorbent products specifically designed for adult incontinence are the newest category of hygiene products. Their use in Europe began in the late 1960s. The design is based on the technology developed for baby diapers and feminine hygiene protection. The key performance requirements such as protection from leakage, comfort, discretion and skin dryness, are similar in kind but differ in degree according to the severity of incontinence.
Originally adult incontinence diapers were mostly used in nursing homes and hospitals where they brought considerable advantages to both patients and nursing staff. They provided increased comfort for the user, fewer skin irritations and infections, easier handling for staff, less washing, reduced odor problems and generally a more hygienic environment for the care of patients.
In recent years, however, the market for incontinence products outside institutions has grown considerably. Current growth rates in institutional markets are now smaller than in the home care environment where there is now much greater awareness of the benefits of incontinence products and much less stigma about their use than in earlier decades. They are an important tool in enabling people with incontinence problems to manage within their own homes rather than having to resort to nursing care. Products have become thinner, lighter and more efficient over the years and are available in a wide assortment of designs to fit varying needs.
