A disposable absorbent article is disclosed that includes a first waist region, a second waist region, a crotch region disposed between the first waist region and second waist region, a waist edge in the first waist region, at least one waistband in the first waist region adjacent the waist edge, and at least one fastener in the second waist region, wherein the first waist region has a resiliency of greater than about 5 mJ and a stiffness of less than about 10 N.

An absorbent article includes a stretchable sheet that is a laminate of a non-stretchable first sheet layer, a non-stretchable second sheet layer, and an elastic film disposed between the first and second sheet layers, and the elastic film is stretchable at least in the front-back direction. The first sheet layer is bonded to the second sheet layer at a large number of joints directly or through the elastic film and the joints are arrayed at intervals. The stretchable sheet is contracted by a contraction force of the elastic film and can be stretched by an external force applied in the front-back direction. The leg portion is also contracted by a contraction force of the elastic film and can be stretched by an external force applied in the width direction. The leg portions and adjoined regions have different joint area rates and thereby have different stretching stresses.

A fluid management layer having an integrated, carded, nonwoven is described. The fluid management layer has a basis weight of between about 40 grams per square meter (gsm) and about 75 gsm; a plurality of absorbent fibers, a plurality of stiffening fibers and a plurality of resilient fibers; wherein the fluid management layer exhibits a total compression of greater than 0.40 mm and has a total recovery of at least 0.35 mm, and wherein the fluid management layer has a density of less than or equal to 0.08 g/cc.

An absorbent article such as a baby diaper comprising a three-dimensional laminate 30 having a first layer 1 intermittently bonded to a second layer 2 by a heterophase polymer. The topsheet comprises three-dimensional protrusions 9 in the first layer 1 which are not bonded to the second layer 2. The heterophase polymer has an enthalpy of fusion of at least 10 J/g. The laminate may be used on the wearer-facing side of the article as topsheet 24 and/or on the garment-facing side as part of the backsheet 26. The first layer may comprise natural fibers.

A fluid management layer having an integrated, carded, nonwoven is described. The fluid management layer has a basis weight of between about 40 grams per square meter (gsm) and about 75 gsm; a plurality of absorbent fibers, a plurality of stiffening fibers and a plurality of resilient fibers; wherein the fluid management layer exhibits a total compression of greater than 0.40 mm and has a total recovery of at least 0.35 mm, and wherein the fluid management layer has a density of less than or equal to 0.08 g/cc.

An absorbent article such as a baby diaper comprising a three-dimensional laminate 30 having a first layer 1 intermittently bonded to a second layer 2 by a heterophase polymer. The topsheet comprises three-dimensional protrusions 9 in the first layer 1 which are not bonded to the second layer 2. The heterophase polymer has an enthalpy of fusion of at least 10 J/g. The laminate may be used on the wearer-facing side of the article as topsheet 24 and/or on the garment-facing side as part of the backsheet 26. The first layer may comprise natural fibers.

An absorbent article includes a liquid pervious topsheet, a backsheet at least peripherally joined to the topsheet, and an absorbent core disposed between said topsheet and said backsheet. The absorbent article further includes an integrated nonwoven fluid management layer having a basis weight between about 40 gsm and about 65 gsm; and an Urine Standard Rewet Value of 10 mg or less.

A method for evaluating the bunched compression of an absorbent structure is described. The method includes placing an absorbent structure in a tensile tester comprising a first end and a second end, moving the first end and the second end of the tensile tester toward each other such that they compress the absorbent structure along its width, lowering a loading probe that compresses the absorbent structure perpendicular to the absorbent structure, and raising the loading probe and decompressing the absorbent structure perpendicular to the absorbent structure. The loading probe acquires data.

An absorbent structure comprising one or more absorbent layers wherein the absorbent structure exhibits a first cycle Peak Force compression between about 30 grams and about 150 grams. The absorbent structure further exhibits a fifth cycle dry recovery energy between 0.1 mJ and 2.8 mJ.

A composite laminate is provided with improved appearance aesthetics and functionality for use in disposable diaper and hygiene products, providing particularly low elongation dependency of unload power, and a soft feel. The composite laminate body has a plurality of elastic fibers arranged in parallel in one direction, interposed between two sheets of cloth; and resin bonding the elastic fibers and the two sheets of cloth, provided in a plurality of strands arranged to be parallel in one direction that intersects with the elastic fibers; wherein the two sheets of cloth and the elastic fibers are separated between locations where adjacent resin strands and elastic fibers intersect in the longitudinal direction of the elastic fibers.