What’s in Pampers Nappies? Ingredients & How They Work
When it comes to choosing the right nappies for your baby, comfort, absorbency, and skin protection are top priorities—and Pampers nappies consistently stand out in these areas. Known for our trusted performance, Pampers offer a wide range of options tailored to different baby stages, from newborn to toddler. Parents appreciate features like wetness indicators, breathable materials, and flexible fits that help prevent leaks and keep babies dry for longer. Whether you're navigating night-time changes or looking for eco-friendly options, Pampers provides reliable solutions backed by years of research and parent feedback.
In this article, we’ll explore what sets Pampers nappies apart and help you decide which Pampers line best suits your baby’s needs. Let’s dive into the details to find the perfect fit for your little one.
How Do Pampers Nappies and Their Ingredients Work?
As a parent, you want a nappy that not only fits snugly but also keeps your baby comfortable and dry all day long. But what exactly makes up our Pampers nappies so effective? From the soft outer cover to the super-absorbent core, each part is carefully designed to work together and protect your little one’s delicate skin.
Like most modern disposable nappies, Pampers nappies are composed of several materials that each serve a specific function, working together to provide a good fit and a comfortable wearing experience for your little one while protecting against leakage and helping to keep the skin dry and protected.
Our nappies' ingredients feature a layered construction, allowing the transfer and distribution of liquid away from the baby to an absorbent nappy core, where the liquid is quickly locked away from the 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
At the heart of every Pampers nappy is the absorbent core, where wood-pulp fluff and super-absorbent polymers (SAP) team up. Just as in our Pampers Protection nappy pants, those SAP ‘pearls’ can hold up to 30 times their weight in liquid in seconds, turning wetness into a gel that stays locked away. This rapid gel formation helps prevent moisture from returning to the surface, keeping your baby drier for a longer period.
What If the Gel Touches My Baby's Skin?
Occasionally, you may spot tiny gel beads from the core on your baby’s skin or bedding. Rest assured, these beads are non-toxic and won’t harm your little one. They wipe away easily with a soft cloth or cotton wool.
Topsheet & Acquisition Layer
The topsheet – the soft, breathable first layer – is made of polypropylene and polyethene. It pulls liquid away from skin into an acquisition layer (two fine mats of polyester and special cellulose), which then distributes moisture evenly into the core. Some of our nappies, such as Pampers Baby Dry nappies and Pampers Premium Protection New Baby, feature a light protective balm on the topsheet to guard delicate skin against irritation.
Pampers® Baby-Dry™ Nappy Pants
Pampers® Premium Protection New Baby
Pampers® Harmonie
Skin Protecting Lotion
A thin layer of lotion, petrolatum, stearyl alcohol and aloe barbadensis is applied to the topsheet to help maintain healthy skin. The same gentle formula appears in lip balms and baby cleansers, locking in moisture and reducing friction in our nappies and Pampers nappy pants.
Soft & Breathable Outercover Layer
Our outer cover is made from a blend of polypropylene and polyethene, the same materials used in hospital gowns, forming a cloth-like fabric. It allows air to circulate, helping your little one’s skin breathe while remaining soft and comfortable. You can notice this gentle feel in our Pampers Harmonie nappies.
Wetness Indicator
Certain nappies, such as our Pampers Splasher nappies, include a pH-sensitive stripe of bromphenol blue. It changes colour when the nappy is wet, giving you an instant visual cue that it’s time for a change, even on night-time sleeps.
Printed Backsheet
Some Pampers nappies, such as our Pampers Harmonie Pants, feature graphics that inspire joy, giving the nappy a more clothing-like appearance. Pampers uses pigments for these colours 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 evaluated to ensure they are safe, solvent-free and non-sensitising while being tucked away from your little one’s skin.
Leg Cuffs
Comfortable and stretchy leg cuffs are made of polypropylene. This highly resistant fibre brings comfort to the nappy in contact with the skin, and spandex (also known as elastane, which is free of natural rubber latex) ensures a proper fit of the nappy and helps prevent leakage where it occurs most. Likewise, our nappies also feature a stretchy waistband to ensure a good fit and prevent leakage. Some of our nappies, such as our Pampers Baby Dry Pants, also feature 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.
For the best fit, use our nappy size and type guide and keep an eye on your little one’s progress with our Growth Chart Calculator.
Baby Growth Chart Calculator
Keep an eye on your baby’s height, weight, and head circumference to average growth with our simple tool.
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*Input details of your baby’s last measurements **Source: World Health Organization
Other Ingredients
Beyond the core layers, Pampers nappy ingredients also include gentle additives, like subtle fragrances in some ranges and secure adhesives, to enhance comfort and performance without compromising safety.
Fragrance
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. When fragrance is added, it’s at very low levels, carefully selected and evaluated to be non-allergenic and non-irritating. Fragrances have been safely used in nappies for decades, with no increased risk of nappy rash in scented nappies compared to unscented ones.
Adhesives
You’ll find gentle, solvent-free adhesives holding each layer of a Pampers nappy together, just like those used in baby clothing and underwear. All adhesives are rigorously tested to ensure they’re non-sensitising and are always tucked safely away from your baby’s skin, so they stay comfortable through every wriggle.
In Summary Pampers nappies are designed explicitly with safe ingredients and materials to keep your baby comfortable and dry. |
The Bottom Line
Your little one’s well-being is at the heart of everything we do. That’s why Pampers is committed to complete ingredient transparency and to crafting high-quality nappies you can trust. Every material is chosen for safety, performance and comfort—so you can focus on enjoying those precious cuddles.
If you need a refresher on nappy changes, take a look at our step-by-step guide on how to change a nappy.
For even more support, download the Pampers Club app today and start earning Pampers Cash on every pack.
How We Wrote This Article The information in this article is based on expert advice found in trusted medical and government sources, such as the National Health Service (NHS). 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 a medical professional for a full diagnosis and treatment.