What’s In A Pampers Nappy?

As a parent, you know the most important thing about a nappy is that it helps keep your baby dry and comfortable. You may wonder how nappies are made and what materials are used to make this everyday product so reliable.

How Do Nappies And Their Ingredients Work?

Like most modern disposable nappies, Pampers nappies are composed of several materials that each have a specific function and work together to provide a good fit and a comfortable wearing experience to the baby while protecting from leakage and helping to keep the skin dry and protected. Our nappies have a layered construction, which allows the transfer and distribution of liquid away from the baby to an absorbent nappy core, where the liquid is quickly locked away from skin to help keep your baby comfortable and dry. Learn more about our key nappy components and how their ingredients have been evaluated for safety and performance.

Super-absorbent Core

Super-absorbent core is one of the most important components of all Pampers nappies. The super-absorbent gel material (also known as super-absorbent polymers) is the main ingredient of the nappy core, and used widely in consumer products. Super-absorbent polymers are dry and granular, and look like small pearls, but but form a gel as they absorb liquid quickly. In fact, the care can retain up to 30 times its weight in liquid within seconds, locking it away to help prevent wetness from coming back to the surface of the nappy and helping to keep babies drier.

What If The Gel Touches My Baby's Skin?

Very rarely, you may see small beads of gel from the nappies on your baby's skin or bedding, but the gel is not harmful for your baby. Gel that appears on the skin can easily be removed by gently wiping your baby's skin.

Topsheet

The top layer you see when you open a nappy is the topsheet, which provides comfort and pulls liquid away from the skin into the absorbent core, helping keep skin dry. Across our portfolio we have different types of topsheet based on baby’s needs and developmental stages, including for babies with runny poo. The main ingredients in the topsheet are polypropylene and polyethylene, soft and breathable materials. Some of our nappies such as Pampers BabyDry and Pampers Premium Protection are made with a touch of protective balm, to help protect skin. Just below the topsheet layer, there is also an Acquisition Layer. This layer has a unique and important role - it channels and distributes the wetness quickly into the absorbent core and is made of two separate layers – one with polyester and another with a special form of cellulose.

Soft & Breathable Outercover Layer

Our outer covers are made from polypropylene and polyethylene —the same materials used in hospital gowns as well as other fabrics. We’ve combined these materials into the perfect ratio to deliver breathability to baby’s skin, but also softness, and comfort.

Wetness Indicator

Some of our nappies have a wetness indicator which is made of pH-sensitive material that changes colour based on exposure to wetness, letting care-givers know when it’s time for a change. The pH sensitive material we use is called bromphenol blue, and is widely used across different industries – from being a food dye to textiles and cosmetics.

Printed Backsheet

Some Pampers nappies have graphics to inspire joy and give the nappy a more clothing-like appearance. Pampers uses pigments for these colours[EG6] and these pigments do not dissolve, which means they will not wash off and reach the skin. They are non-allergenic and skin safe, and are commonly used in other consumer products, contact lenses, and food packaging.

Seams & Joints

Our nappy seams and joints are made with adhesives. These adhesives are used in many baby products, including clothing and underwear. Pampers adhesives are Oeko-tex certified, and evaluated to ensure they are safe, solvent free, and non-sensitising while being tucked away from your baby’s skin.

Anti-leak barriers

Comfortable and stretchy leg cuffs are made of polypropylene, a highly resistant fibre that brings comfort to the nappy in contact with skin, and spandex (also known as elastane, which is free of natural rubber latex) to ensure proper fit of the nappy and help prevent leakage where leaks happen most. Likewise our nappies also have a stretchy waistband to ensure good fit and leakage prevention. Some of our nappies also have a Stop & Protect Pocket, which catches messy leaks at the back.

Fastening System

Soft polypropylene and stretch film ensure a secure hold and customisable fit, while providing comfort to your baby.

Other Ingredients

Fragrance (for CESEE only)

We provide both fragrance and fragrance-free products. We've asked parents all around the world which products they prefer for their babies, and many have told us they prefer nappies with a soft, baby-fresh scent. The fragrance in Pampers, when present, is used at a very low level in each nappy, is not in touch with skin and has been carefully selected and evaluated to be non-allergenic and non-irritating to the skin. Our nappies are free of EU perfume allergens*.

The perfumes have been safely present in nappies for many decades, showing there is no increased risk for nappy rash for babies using scented nappies compared to unscented nappies.

*as regulated in the EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009

Adhesives

Adhesives are used in many baby products, including clothing and underwear. Pampers evaluates all adhesives to ensure they are safe, solvent free and non-sensitizing, while also making sure they are tucked away from your baby’s skin.

Tip Pampers nappy products do not contain harmful ingredients that will cause irritation for your baby’s skin.

What’s NOT in Pampers products

• Bisphenol A (BPA)

• Dioxins

• Disperse Dyes

• Elemental Chlorine

• Ethanol - Alcohol

• Latex (Natural rubber)

• Lead and Mercury in printed inks

• Organotins

• Parabens

• Pesticide Residues

• Phenol

• Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)

In Summary Pampers nappies are specifically designed with safe ingredients and materials to keep your baby comfortable and dry.

The Bottom Line

There's nothing more important to us than your baby. That's why we are committed to ingredient transparency and creating safe, high quality products to help you protect and care for baby. As always, contact us if you have any questions, comments, or ideas.

^{How We Wrote This Article The information in this article is based on the expert advice found in published research, trusted medical and government sources, as well as Pampers’ own safety and product experts. When applicable, you can find a full list of sources used for this article below. The content on this page should not replace professional medical advice. Always consult medical professionals for full diagnosis and treatment.}