There was a time when there was a man… We don’t have to go that far back in history. However, when you consider it, the need for a baby diaper dates as far back as human civilization (and more realistically, the history of women). Adam and Eve had the same need for a baby diaper as Mr. and Mrs. Smith of today, no matter how idyllic the Garden of Eden may have been. Various historical documents reference the special clothing used for babies in ancient times, ranging from milkweed leaf wraps to animal skins and other creative natural resources, a far cry from today’s disposable diapers. Civilizations such as the Egyptians, Aztecs, Romans, and others have left documentation of their use in day-to-day activities. The need for diapers spanned all segments of the population, from princesses to beggars. In fact, the diaper was one of the very first items that distinguished humans from animals. Infants have been “wrapped in swaddling bands” in many European societies since antiquity. Swaddling bands were strips of linen or wool wrapped tightly around each limb and then crosswise around the body, a practice similar to what many Yoga advocates still do in India. In Elizabethan times, babies were given a fresh diaper only every few days. Even the Innuits, an Eskimo people, placed moss under sealskin diapers.

In some Native American tribes, mothers packed grass under a diaper cover made of rabbit skin, a practice also observed among the Incas in South America. In warmer tropical climates, babies were often left naked, and mothers attempted to predict bowel movements to prevent messes near the house. During the pioneering days of the American West, wet diapers were rarely washed; instead, they were typically hung by the fireplace to dry and reused. Consequently, skin rash was a prevalent issue during that time. In Europe, it wasn’t until the Industrial Revolution from 1820 onwards that working-class families began to take measures to contain their baby’s waste more carefully. With increased wealth, they could afford household furniture and felt the need to protect it.

By the late 1800s, infants in Europe and North America were wearing the precursor to the modern diaper. A square or rectangle of linen, cotton flannel, or stockinet was folded into a rectangular shape and secured in place with safety pins. Originally, the term “diaper” referred to a pattern of small repeated geometric shapes, and later to a white cotton or linen fabric with such a pattern. Therefore, the earliest babies’ diapers were made from diaper fabric, which denoted fabric with a repetitive pattern. The first mass-produced cloth diapers were introduced by Maria Allen in 1887 in the United States.

Mankind learned ways to reduce diaper rash only after gaining a better understanding of bacteria, viruses, and fungi, and how to control or eliminate them. At the beginning of the 20th century, many concerned mothers started using boiled water to effectively reduce the common rash problem. Boiling a large pot full of diapers required significant amounts of energy and time. Some readers in their 40s, 50s, and older may still remember the large steel pot used to boil the used diapers of their younger siblings, followed by the ceremonial hanging of wet diapers to dry in the sun. Younger readers may need to watch old Disney cartoons, such as “Goofy the Perfect Father” from 1948, to understand this.

The typical diaper used in the 1940s was a thick rectangular cloth made of cotton, folded according to traditional teachings passed down through generations. It was a cherished tradition that grandmothers passed on to their daughters for their first grandchild. Of course, it was also customary to remark on how much the babies resembled their grandmothers. It was best not to argue about that, for the sake of family harmony. However, this tradition was not suitable for the babies of the industrial revolution and the emerging society built on the American dream.

During World War II, the increase in the number of working mothers led to the emergence of the “diaper service.” Fresh cotton diapers would be delivered on an as-needed basis to mothers exhausted from their work building planes and tanks all day. As with many great inventions, it is unclear who can be credited as the single inventor of the disposable diaper, as it evolved gradually. Early forms of tissue-based disposable underpads and diaper inserts were made available at the beginning of the decade in Sweden. The first disposable absorbent pad used as a diaper was likely made from unbleached creped cellulose tissue (held in rubber pants) in 1942 by Pauliström in Sweden, perhaps due to cotton becoming a strategic material during the war.

A few years later, in 1946, in the United States, a Westport housewife named Marion Donovan invented the Boater, a waterproof covering for cloth diapers. Her first model of the disposable diaper was made of shower curtain plastic into which a conventional cloth diaper was inserted. Marion was granted four patents for her designs, including the use of plastic snaps that replaced the traditional and dangerous safety pins. She was quite a clever woman, who also happened to be attractive.

In 1947, George M. Schroder, working for the Textile Research Institute of the University of Chattanooga, Tennessee, US, was approached by Henry Frede & Co. to create the first disposable diaper ever with disposable nonwoven fabric. That same year, Valerie Hunter Gordon, a British mother, developed a two-piece disposable diaper. According to an interesting but unconfirmed story, Eastern Airlines received many complaints during long transatlantic flights, leading them to commission Chicopee (J&J) to develop an efficient disposable diaper to assist passengers traveling with small babies. The result was the CHUX disposable diaper, a rectangular one-piece diaper first made in 1949. In 1950, Paulistrom launched a “roll diaper,” consisting of rolls of cellulose wadding inside a knitted mesh that consumers had to cut and fit into reusable panties.

Disposable diapers were considered a “luxury” item at the time, used only for special occasions like vacation trips or visits to parents or the doctor. It was uncommon to see a baby wearing a disposable diaper—perhaps as rare as finding an empty seat at a leading Broadway show without a reservation. The first “truly disposable” diapers featured a very simple rectangular design. The absorbent core comprised several layers of tissue paper (15 to 25), with a plastic film covering the outside and no tapes provided with the product. These diapers had a total capacity estimated to be around 100 ml, offering very limited service for one-time use. However, their disposability added significant value for parents, immediately establishing them as a groundbreaking invention.

For a complete timeline history of disposable diapers in the United States and worldwide, please visit: Time-Line.

During the 1950s, there was little change in diaper design. Kendall, Parke-Davis, and Playtex entered the market with simple diaper versions. However, the disposable diaper market share remained low due to the high unit cost of the diaper and its low performance, limiting its use to a few developed countries. In 1957, Molnlycke entered the market with a product made of paper pulp encapsulated in tissue and surrounded by a knitted net.

In contrast, sanitary napkins experienced rapid growth in the European and North American markets during this decade. It wasn’t until the end of the 1950s that Vic Mills, working for Procter & Gamble, invented “Pampers” while searching for better products for his baby grandson (conceptualized in 1959 during a summer vacation trip). However, the diaper was not launched into the market until 1961.

From the 1960s onwards, disposable diapers evolved quickly as the industry learned more about mothers’ requirements. Tissue was replaced with pulp a decade after the first disposable sanitary napkins arrived in the markets, improving diaper performance. Pampers, launched in the spring of 1961, was a “smash hit.” With the development of better nonwovens, softer top sheets made of rayon began transforming the baby diaper. The diaper was offered in two sizes, medium and large, and made very thick to reduce leakage. However, it lacked means for attachment, requiring consumers to have tapes handy to use the diaper. In 1966, Pampers introduced a new C-fold design and by 1969 began offering a “third size.” A typical commercial diaper machine ran at speeds of 150 diapers per minute, with the best diapers having overall leakage values of 8 to 10%.

The 1970s proved to be the baby boom explosion for the disposable diaper industry in developed countries and even in some less developed areas of the world. Competition between Procter & Gamble and Kimberly Clark to dominate the global diaper market resulted in rapid diaper design improvements and lower prices for consumers. World demand exceeded production capacity for many years, with market penetration experiencing exponential growth in the US, Europe, and Japan. In Latin America, many countries also experienced this boom, including Mexico, Argentina, and Chile. A new fastening system with lateral paper tapes was introduced as part of the product’s improved convenience, pioneered by Johnson & Johnson in 1970.

Improved folding of the diaper using the “Z-fold” or “pre-folded” diaper concept, along with the introduction of “hot melts” instead of cold adhesives for reduced “open times,” resulted in faster diaper manufacturing line speeds and a greater variety of size options, driving demand at a rapid pace. The total absorbent capacity of the diaper increased steadily, and diaper machines began running at incredible speeds of 250 diapers per minute.

Some comments started to emerge from baby doctors complaining about the bulk of the absorbent diaper at the crotch and its effect on the babies’ developing bones. As a result, the shape of the diaper changed for a better fit, transitioning from the old “rectangular shape” to a more modern “hourglass shape.” In 1975, the hourglass-shaped “Luvs” diaper was first introduced in the US market.

Kimberly Clark introduced its shaped Huggies diapers in 1976. By the end of the decade, most producers were using lateral elastomerics in an attempt to improve the fit.

With the 1980s, a new “re-engineered” diaper was born. Absormex began operations at the beginning of this decade in Monterrey, Mexico, in 1981, and Carlos Richer started working for Absormex in June 1984—a noteworthy date in diaper history.

During 1981 and 1982, two companies launched what was claimed to be a “bio-degradable” diaper in the US market. Starch was added to the poly film in the extrusion process to produce biodegradable films. However, the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) forced the product out of the market due to a lack of scientific evidence to support the claims.

In 1983, the use of elastomerics improved the fit of the diaper. Elastics were already used in the legs, but now they were added to the waist as well. The nonwoven material was changed from rayon to polypropylene thermal bond, providing a softer and more comfortable feel for the baby.

A new tape system called “target tape,” based on the use of two simultaneous lateral tapes instead of just one, was attempted to help reposition the diaper. However, this was a worldwide market failure and was abandoned a few years later in 1986.

In Europe, a frontal tape was developed to allow mothers the convenience of opening and closing the diaper as many times as needed without tearing the film.

At the beginning of the decade, an environmental movement targeted the industry, arguing the ecological problems created by the use of disposable diapers. This was more evident in Europe and Canada, with less intensity in the US and Latin America.

The super-absorbent (SAP) was first introduced into diapers in 1982 by Unicharm in Japan, following its use in sanitary napkins. It’s rather remarkable that it took so long for this material to be utilized in diapers, considering it was discovered many years earlier. In 1966, Billy Gene Harper, working for Dow Chemical, and Carlyle Harmon, at J&J, patented the superabsorbent polymer. Although Victor Mills is recognized as the father of the diaper, Harper and Harmon deserve similar recognition. With SAP, a new generation of high-performance diapers became possible. Not only did diapers become thinner, but they also had improved retention performance, reducing leakage and diaper rash. Premium diapers with leakage below 2% became a reality, finally. The average weight of a typical medium-sized diaper was reduced by about 50% compared to the previous decade. This not only reflected the industry’s environmental concerns but also made economic sense due to reduced packaging costs. Additionally, numerous studies compared disposable diapers with cloth diapers, fueling a debate that continues today. In Japan, the concept of “breathability” was introduced successfully in 1983, leading design efforts, although a wet diaper loses very little humidity due to this feature. Nonetheless, there are some skin benefits to air entering the diaper. Training diapers were also introduced in Japan for the first time in 1989, extending the use of diapers to larger babies or young kids (2 to 4 years old).

In the 1990s, many new features were added to baby diapers. SMS (spunbond-meltblown-spunbond) top sheets were used, and the cloth-like backsheet replaced regular poly film in the higher end of the market. Mechanical tapes in the form of Velcro or other types of hook and loop fasteners were introduced. Leg cuffs made of SMS nonwovens reduced leakage on the baby’s legs, first used in diapers in 1991 after a polemic patent cross-licensing between P&G and KC. Elasticized mechanical tapes were also developed. Additionally, a new technology was introduced by Procter & Gamble, using curly fiber to pull moisture into the diaper core and then recoiling to absorb additional fluid. Further improvements in SAP were made by using a new surface cross-linker, reducing the “gel block” problem. Many new features like Aloe Vera, Germ protection, Skin conditioners, wetness indicators, and “glow in the dark” frontal tapes were added for product differentiation.

By the end of the decade, diaper machines were capable of running at speeds of 300 diapers per minute. The shape of the absorbent core changed from a typical “T” shape to a “rectangular shape,” similar to the shape used in previous decades. The increased productivity of small independent producers added pressure on major players who, in response, aggressively defended their intellectual property, leading to a transformation of the industry.

The future trend for the diaper industry beyond 2000 is a thinner diaper, more comfortable for babies, and environmentally friendly.

On March 8, 2000, Absormex, a 100% Mexican-owned company, launched the world’s first biodegradable diaper, “Natural Baby Supreme.” This new diaper degrades even without exposure to light or UV, resulting in a dramatic change in molecular weight due to a chemical degradation process. The speed of this biodegradation in the landfill is 200% faster than that of conventional diapers, making it a significant contribution to the disposable diaper’s history. With a large file of scientific evidence and two pending patents, all claims printed on the bag have been proven, and scientific reports will be published for the general public soon. Carlos Richer presented a paper at the Insight Conference in October 2000, the diaper industry’s largest technical seminar.

In 2001, Absormex launched “Earthpure” diapers, a private label distributed by Amway in the United States and Canada. However, Absormex had to discontinue this diaper due to a very unfair lawsuit. The cost of defense was so high that we decided not to defend the concept in court, even though we knew it was an excellent product idea. According to the Federal Trade Commission, unless you can prove that the product will degrade in the landfill, you are taking a risk. Unfortunately, many landfills are not well managed – even a piece of paper will not biodegrade in these conditions.

In 2003, P&G launched their Easy Ups training pants, capturing as much as 20% share of the pants market in the United States. KC introduced Huggies Convertibles, a baby diaper similar to training pants but with lateral sides with hook and loop. At the end of the year, Tyco attempted to regain its lost pants sales by launching their new training pant made with Cellulose Acetate, a new “air-laid” pad. It’s still too early to conclude whether this product will be successful. This year, Ontex purchased Hartmann’s diaper plants in Germany and France.

In June 2004, Valor Brands, a joint venture with Grupo Mabesa in Mexico, acquired Mayer’s private label account from Tyco. Tyco had purchased Paragon a year earlier, a former partner of Mabesa.

In 2005, a new player, Irving Personal Care, started operations in Canada. They began with a new training pant and a couple of Joa’s J5 high-speed baby diaper machines in New Brunswick, Canada. In an interesting turn of events in 2005, superabsorbent producers couldn’t keep up with demand due to a shortage of acrylic acid, a raw material used in SAP manufacture, causing a historic shortage that wouldn’t be balanced until the third quarter of 2006, when more capacity was expected to become operational in China. This is one reason why raw material prices are out of control, and the diaper industry has been under a lot of pressure.

Market Trends for 2006: There will be more economical products focused on areas with low disposable diaper consumption, like China, India, North Africa, Latin America, and Russia. Reduced freight costs associated with compressed packaging are leading many companies to consolidate their plant locations into fewer but larger factories. The high cost of oil worldwide (a record high in 2005) has increased pressure on diaper manufacturers to improve productivity and diaper design to avoid price increases, as markets and continued price wars do not allow higher raw material costs to be reflected in finished product prices.

Recent diaper sales volumes worldwide and forecast of diaper sales for the year 2025: The volume of diapers sold in the United States alone in 2006 will be close to 18.6 billion units. Around 20.4 billion units will be sold in Europe, and 4.9 billion units will be sold in Mexico in 2006. China has reported the largest incremental sales compared to last year, with many new diaper machines being installed there. For a complete description of diaper sales and expectations until 2025, visit the provided link.

For a complete Time-Line History of disposable diapers in the United States and the world, please visit the link provided.