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Manufacturing & Market Potential of Sanitary Napkins
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By
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B. S. Pancholi, Dr. Sandeep R. Naik
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Product
designs, full size pads:
- Topsheet: nonwoven or apertured
film.
- Absorbent core: pulp (Thick core
either fluff core with SAP or Air laid core with SAP.
- Backsheet: film.
Product designs, Ultra thin pad:
- Topsheet - nonwoven or apertured
film.
- Transfer layer
- Absorbent Layer
- Absorbent Core
- Backsheet film
Product
shape can be either flat or curved with/without wings to secure the pad in
place and add additional leak protection. It is available in various pattern
designs with perfume (deodorant) added to cover or absorb odour. Packaging is
done either folded and single wrapped or packed flat and unwrapped.
Raw
material
Materials
used in absorbent hygiene products:
- Nonwoven
- Pulp
- Super absorbent
- Plastic film
- Elastic materials
- Fastening devices
- Packaging
One
typical example is as given below in Table 6.
The
raw material content can slightly vary for different products and for different
market.
A
few suppliers of raw materials
- Nonwoven fabric: The permeable top
layer of 12 to 18 GSM is normally a spunbond fabric made of polypropylene while
the impermeable polyethylene/nonwoven film is the bottom layer for preventing
the fluid to pass through. Sometimes a nonwoven fabric glued to polyfilm to
give feel. Source of nonwoven fabrics in India by Ginni Filaments or Supreme
Nonwoven or Pantex, Fiber Web, Union Industries, PVD plastic, Gujarat, etc. Cost
of spunbond fabric is approximately Rs.140/kg.
- Cellulose Pulp - Wayerhaesder - Switzerland,
Rayonier- UK, Tembee Tartas - France, Stora Enso-Italy.
- Super Absorbent Polymer BASF-India,
Degassa-Italy. 1 gram SAP generally absorbs 30 ml water or up to 20 ml urine in
3 seconds.
- Polyethylene Back Sheet Exten-Switzerland,
Plastik-Italy, Huhtamaki-Germany.
- Silicon Paper MCS-Switzerland,
ICA-Italy, Rossella-Italy.
- Hot Melt seal and positioners -
Savare, National Henket-Italy.
- Packaging - It can be from India
or abroad.
Manufacturing
method
The
absorbent pad is the most important component of napkin. Absorbent pad is made
of wood pulp mixed with SAP. Absorbent pad is prepared first. The absorbent pad
is first created by using shredded wood pulp and vacuum laid to required shape
and size, the weight is automatically controlled. By pressing it is formed to
required thickness. Before forming the pad the pulp is mixed with super
absorbent polymers (SAP) for enhancing fluid holding capacity.
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