A diaper is an absorbent garment worn by individuals who are incapable of controlling their bladder or bowel movements, or are unable or unwilling to use a toilet. The purpose of a diaper is to absorb moisture and contain mess so that the wearer can remain dry and comfortable after wetting or soiling themselves When diapers become full and can no longer hold any more waste, they require changing; this process is often performed by a secondary person such as a parent or caregiver. Failure to change a diaper on a regular enough basis can result in diaper rash. In ancient times, babies would be dressed in natural resources such as leaf wraps and animals skins, with the Inuit making diapers out of moss and sealskin and Native Americans packing grass under a cover made of rabbit skin. European societies would wrap their children in strips of linen or wool known as swaddling bands, and in Elizabethan times, children would only have their diapers changed every few days 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. The super-absorbent (SAP) was first introduced into the diaper in 1982 by Unicharm in Japan, following its use in sanitary napkins. It is rather amazing that it took so long for this material to be finally used in a diaper when it had been discovered so many years before. It was in 1966 when Billy Gene Harper, who worked for Dow Chemical, and Carlyle Harmon, who worked for J&J, filed their patent for the superabsorbent polymer. Even when Victor Mills is recognized as the father of the diaper, Harper and Harmon really should deserve similar recognition. With the SAP, a new generation of high performance diapers was possible. Not only the diapers became thinner but they also had improved retention performance which helped reduce leakage and diaper rash The clear trend for the future of the diaper industry 2000 and beyond is a thinner diaper, more comfortable for the baby and friendly to the environment

references :

Diaper - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.htm

The Disposable Diaper Net.htm