The present invention relates to disposable absorbent articles that include a bodyside liner, an outer cover and an absorbent core between the bodyside liner and the outer cover. The articles also include a core wrap surrounding the absorbent core. Further, the articles include a shaped form between the core wrap and the absorbent core where the shaped form is a functional structure. The functional structure includes a substrate and a first fixing agent applied to the substrate. The first fixing agent includes an aqueous polymer. The functional structure also includes a functional material that is adjacent to the first fixing agent. A second fixing agent is adjacent to the functional material. The first fixing agent may be a hydrophilic solution including an aqueous polymer selected from polyvinyl alcohol and a cross-linked polyvinyl alcohol. The aqueous polymers may have molecular weights from 1,500,000 to 4,000,000.

Nonwoven webs having excellent fluid handling characteristics are disclosed. The nonwoven webs are made from a combination of binder fibers and structure fibers. The structure fibers are made from multicomponent, hollow fibers. The structure fibers include first polymer component zones that alternate with second polymer component zones around the circumference of the fiber. The first polymer component zone is made from a polymer having a lower melting temperature than the polymer contained in the second polymer component zone. In this manner, the fibers have a three-dimensional conformation that produces significant void volume within the nonwoven web.

An absorbent structure including a distribution layer and a storage layer is disclosed. The distribution layer has two or more stratums. The two or more stratums include a body facing stratum and a subsequent stratum below the body facing stratum. The density of the subsequent stratum is a fraction of the density of the body facing stratum and the porosity of the subsequent stratum is a multiple of the body facing stratum porosity.

A fluid distribution material for use in an absorbent article includes a formed film layer having first and second sides and a basis weight of between about 10 gsm and about 25 gsm, and a nonwoven layer having a basis weight of between about 10 gsm and about 15 gsm and laminated to the formed film layer. The formed film layer includes a plurality of apertured protuberances arranged in a pattern having 10 to 40 protuberances per linear inch. Each of the protuberances includes a continuous sidewall extending from the first side, and the second side has a plurality of apertures aligned with the plurality of protuberances, and land areas in between the apertures. The nonwoven layer includes a plurality of fibers attached to the formed film layer at the land areas. The material has a rewet value of less than 0.075 grams in accordance with the Rewet Test Method.

An absorbent article which can have an improved feeling of comfort next to the skin of the wearer and a reduction in the feelings of wetness and rewet. An absorbent article can have a longitudinal direction, a transverse direction, and a depth direction. The absorbent article can have a topsheet layer, a backsheet layer, and an absorbent core positioned between the topsheet layer and the backsheet layer. The topsheet layer can have a hydrophilic central layer, a semi-hydrophilic first side layer, and a semi-hydrophilic second side layer. Each of the semi-hydrophilic side layers can be bonded to the central layer utilizing an embossing technique in the regions of overlap of each of the semi-hydrophilic side layers with the central layer. The area of the body-facing surface of each of the regions of overlap can contain from about 10% to about 35% of at least one embossment.

The current invention concerns an absorbent article (10) comprising an absorbent core (12) sandwiched between a liquid permeable topsheet (14) and a liquid impermeable backsheet (16), and an acquisition distribution layer (18) arranged between said topsheet (14) and said absorbent core (12), wherein the absorbent core (12) comprises at least an absorbent material layer. According to the invention the topsheet (14) consists essentially of an air-through bonded nonwoven layer and is free of spunbond nonwoven layers, the acquisition distribution layer (18) comprises a spunbonded and/or thermocarded nonwoven layer, and the absorbent core (12) comprises at least one channel (26) free of absorbent material. The invention also relates to the use of such an absorbent article (10), for managing liquid stool.

An absorbent article which can have an improved feeling of comfort next to the skin of the wearer and a reduction in the feelings of wetness and rewet. An absorbent article can have a longitudinal direction, a transverse direction, and a depth direction. The absorbent article can have a topsheet layer, a backsheet layer, and an absorbent core positioned between the topsheet layer and the backsheet layer. The topsheet layer can have a hydrophilic central layer, a semi-hydrophilic first side layer, and a semi-hydrophilic second side layer. Each of the semi-hydrophilic side layers can be bonded to the central layer utilizing an embossing technique in the regions of overlap of each of the semi-hydrophilic side layers with the central layer. The area of the body-facing surface of each of the regions of overlap can contain from about 10% to about 35% of at least one embossment.