The present disclosure is directed, in part, to webs or topsheets for absorbent articles and methods of making the same. The webs and topsheets include bicomponent fibers having a first component and a second component, wherein the first component has a different hydrophilicity than the second component. The webs and topsheets include a continuous land area and discrete zones of modified surface energy. One of the first and second components forms an outer surface of the fibers in the continuous land area and the other of the components at least partially forms an outer surface of the fibers in the discrete zones of modified surface energy such that the discrete zones of modified surface energy have a different hydrophilicity than the continuous land area.

A stretchable structure of an absorbent article includes two sheet layers that extend in a stretchable direction and an orthogonal direction orthogonal to the stretchable direction; and elongated resilient and elastic members that are disposed between the sheet layers at predetermined intervals in the orthogonal direction and extend in the stretchable direction, wherein, the two ends in the stretchable direction of each of the resilient and elastic members comprise fixed ends fixed to the two sheet layers, and the section between the fixed ends comprises a free section unfixed to the two sheet layers, at least one sheet bonding section is disposed in at least one inter-free region defined between the free sections adjacent to each other in the orthogonal direction, the two sheet layers being bonded in the at least one inter-free region, and the two sheet layers in a contracted state conform with each other in a wave pattern in response to contraction of the resilient and elastic members.

The present disclosure relates to bonding a first substrate together a second substrate with adhesives that are substantially tackifier free. A layer of substantially tackifier free adhesive may be applied to a first surface of the second substrate to define an adherence zone, and the first substrate is positioned on the adherence zone of the second substrate to form a laminate. The first and second substrates are pressed against each other in the adherence zone to force the substantially tackifier free adhesive to penetrate into the first and second substrates. A first portion of the layer of the adhesive penetrates into the first substrate and a second portion of the layer of the adhesive penetrates into the second substrate. A central portion of the layer of the adhesive between the first and second portions separates the second surface of the first substrate from the first surface of the second substrate.

A pant-type garment having a length direction and a width direction and being divided in the length direction into a front portion, a back portion and a crotch. The front and back portions are joined in a first and a second side seam arranged in first and second side seam regions and are formed as fusion bonds formed by laser bonding of superposed layers of the front and back portions along opposing side edges of the front and back portions. The side seams have a length in the length direction of the pant-type garment and are constituted by fused thermoplastic material. Each side seam has a generally rectangular cross-sectional area, a width in the width direction of the pant-type garment and a thickness perpendicular to the width direction (W) and the length direction (L) within 80% to 100% of the length (l.sub.s) of each side seam.

Absorbent articles (30) have bonded materials and bond patterns. One of the absorbent articles (30) has a bond pattern (150a-150d) comprising bonds (151,153,155,155a-155d). The bond pattern (150a-150d) comprises a longitudinally extending series of bonds (151,153), which comprises a first bond (151) and a second bond (153) disposed longitudinally adjacent to the first bond (151). The first bond (151) has an inboard lateral edge (158), an outboard lateral edge (156), a top edge (152), and a bottom edge (154) having a recess portion (164). The second bond (153) has an inboard lateral edge (158) and an outboard lateral edge (156), a top edge (152) having a recess portion (164), and a bottom edge (154). The top edge (152) of the second bond (153) faces the bottom edge (154) of the first bond (151), each of the recess portion (164) of the first bond (151) and the recess portion (164) of the second bond (153) comprises terminal portions (157) which are disposed proximate the same outboard lateral edge (156) or inboard lateral edge (158) of the first bond (151) and the second bond (153). Such bond patterns (150a-150d) have been found to provide a superior combination of strength and softness.