An absorbent core for absorbent articles such as diapers. The core comprises a core wrap comprising a top side and a bottom side, an absorbent material between the top side and the bottom side, a first and second longitudinally-extending channel-forming areas disposed on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis and substantially free of absorbent material preferably through which the top side of the core wrap is attached to the bottom side of the core wrap. The core has a central absorbent zone between the first and the second channel-forming areas and a first and second lateral absorbent zones disposed laterally outwardly. The average basis weight of the absorbent material in the central absorbent zone is lower than the average basis weight of the absorbent material in the lateral absorbent zones.

An absorbent core for absorbent articles such as diapers comprising a core wrap comprising a top side and a bottom side, an absorbent material between the top side and the bottom side of the core wrap, a first and second longitudinally-extending channel-forming areas substantially free of absorbent material preferably through which the top side of the core wrap is attached to the bottom side of the core wrap disposed on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis. The core has a central absorbent zone between the first and the second channel-forming areas and a first and second lateral absorbent zones disposed laterally outwardly. The absorbent core comprises at least one transversal folding line, preferably at least two transversal folding lines, in the region where the longitudinally-extending channel-forming areas are present.

An absorbent article such as a diaper extending in a longitudinal direction parallel to a longitudinal axis (80′) and a transversal direction (90′) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and comprising a distribution layer (54) between a topsheet (24) and an absorbent core (28). The distribution layer comprises a fibrous material and a first and second longitudinally-extending channels (86a,b) substantially free of fibrous material. The fibrous material is profiled in the transversal direction so that average basis weight between the channels differs from the average basis weight in the lateral areas outward of the channels by at least 50 g/m.sup.2 and/or wherein the distribution layer comprises a first region having a first basis weight (bw1) and a second region having a second basis weight (bw2), wherein the first basis weight and the second basis weight differ by at least 20 g/m.sup.2, preferably by at least 50 g/m.sup.2, and these regions are present in different areas of the distribution layer but in the same longitudinally extending transversal section. The absorbent core may comprise channel-forming areas (26a,b). The article further comprises a backsheet (25).

An absorbent structure includes a first area of fibrous absorbent material and a second area of fibrous absorbent material. The first area has a greater basis weight than the second area. The second area includes a plurality of segments separated by vertical interfaces. Each of the vertical interfaces has a width less than 1 cm. Bridging of fibrous absorbent material extends across the vertical interfaces.

Low basis weight films having a heat capacity×density value of greater than about 970,000 Ws/m.sup.3K, as measured by the method described herein, the films having a basis weight of less than about 16 gsm and comprising at least about 10% polypropylene.

An absorbent core for use in an absorbent article including a high loft central layer having deposited on two different surfaces thereon a first superabsorbent polymer SAP1 and a second superabsorbent polymer SAP2 in the form of particles that are at least partially distributed within the high loft layer. The SAP1 has a higher capacity than SAP2 and the permeability of SAP2 is more than 5×10-7 cm3.Math.s/g.

A nonwoven fabric is provided. The nonwoven fabric can include a first surface and a second surface and a visually discernible pattern of three-dimensional features on one of the first or second surface. Each of the three-dimensional features can define a microzone comprising a first region and a second region. The first and second regions can have a difference in values for an intensive property, wherein at least one of the surfaces has a TS7 value of less than about 15 dB V.sup.2 rms, and wherein the first surface has a TS7 value that is higher than the second surface TS7 value.

An absorbent article of the present invention includes an absorbent core (4) and a topsheet (2) disposed on a skin-facing surface of the absorbent core (4) and having a projecting-and-depressed structure on the skin-facing surface. The absorbent core (4) includes one or a plurality of low-basis-weight portions (41) extending in one direction and having a relatively lower basis weight than other parts of the absorbent core (4). In a plan view, the topsheet (2) includes a plurality of types of projections (24) having different sizes in an overlapping region with the low-basis-weight portions (41).

Absorbent articles comprising pleats and methods for forming pleated absorbent articles are disclosed. In one embodiment, an absorbent article extending in a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction may comprise a bodyside liner, an outer cover, an absorbent core disposed between the bodyside liner and the outer cover, and a pleat extending in the longitudinal direction and having a lower pleat portion and an upper pleat portion, the pleat having a pleat height, wherein the lower pleat portion has a greater stiffness than the upper pleat portion.

An absorbent article comprising a liquid permeable topsheet, a backsheet, an absorbent core comprising an absorbent material and a core wrap is provided. The article comprises an intermediate layer between the bottom side of the core wrap and the backsheet. The intermediate layer and the absorbent core are only partially bonded to each other at their interface and the interface comprises a bonded portion and a unbonded portion. The intermediate layer can at least partially decouple from the absorbent core in the unbonded portion, which increases flexibility of the article in the transversal direction.