Spunbond Nonwoven Fabric for Sanitary Napkins: Requirements and Specifications

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Spunbond nonwoven fabric is an important material in sanitary napkin manufacturing, particularly where manufacturers need a combination of softness, liquid permeability, strength, flexibility, breathability, and stable high-speed processing.

However, selecting the right spunbond fabric for sanitary napkins is not simply a matter of choosing a particular GSM.

A sanitary napkin is a multi-layer hygiene product. Different layers perform different functions, and the ideal nonwoven specification depends on whether the material is being used as a topsheet, side component, backsheet-related structure, acquisition layer, or another supporting component.

For most skin-contact applications, the material selection process should focus on:

• Softness

• Hydrophilicity

• Liquid penetration

• Rewet performance

• Surface uniformity

• GSM

• Thickness

• Tensile strength

• Elongation

• Air permeability

• Bonding pattern

• Raw material quality

• Machine running performance

The most important principle for buyers is:

Select spunbond fabric according to the function of the sanitary napkin component, not GSM alone.

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1. What Is Spunbond Nonwoven Fabric Used for in Sanitary Napkins?

A sanitary napkin normally contains multiple functional layers.

A simplified structure may include:

1. Topsheet

2. Acquisition or distribution layer

3. Absorbent core

4. Backing or leakage-control layer

5. Adhesive and release-paper system

6. Side or wing components

Not every sanitary napkin uses spunbond fabric in exactly the same location.

The most common reason manufacturers consider spunbond nonwoven fabric for sanitary pads is that PP spunbond can provide a lightweight, uniform, flexible material with controlled surface and mechanical properties.

For skin-contact applications, the topsheet is especially important because it influences:

• Surface softness

• Liquid entry

• Skin contact

• Wetness perception

• Overall comfort

This makes the topsheet one of the most specification-sensitive components of the product.

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2. What Material Is Used for Sanitary Napkin Spunbond Fabric?

Polypropylene (PP) is widely used for spunbond nonwoven hygiene materials.

PP offers several useful characteristics:

• Low density

• Lightweight construction

• Good processability

• Good fiber-forming capability

• Chemical resistance

• Good mechanical performance for its weight

• Ability to produce fine continuous filaments

• Compatibility with thermal bonding

For sanitary napkin applications, buyers should also distinguish between polymer selection and fabric treatment.

For example, two fabrics may both be PP spunbond but have very different performance because one is:

• Hydrophilic

while the other is:

• Hydrophobic

For a liquid-receiving topsheet, this distinction can be critical.

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3. What GSM Is Used for Sanitary Napkin Spunbond Fabric?

There is no single universal GSM for sanitary napkin materials.

As a general commercial reference, lightweight spunbond fabrics in approximately 8–30 GSM may be considered for different hygiene components.

For topsheet applications, manufacturers often evaluate the lower end of this range, while acquisition, support, or structural components may require higher basis weights.

Application	General reference GSM	Main consideration
Lightweight topsheet	8–15 GSM	Softness and liquid passage
Standard topsheet	10–18 GSM	Balance of softness and strength
Acquisition/distribution component	15–30 GSM	Liquid handling and structure
Side/wing component	15–30 GSM	Strength and flexibility
Structural/support component	20–40+ GSM	Mechanical support

These are reference ranges rather than fixed industry standards.

The actual GSM should be validated against the sanitary napkin design and production process.

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4. Why GSM Alone Cannot Determine Quality

A common purchasing mistake is to compare suppliers only by GSM.

For example:

Supplier A: 12 GSM
Supplier B: 12 GSM

This does not mean the two materials are equivalent.

Their performance may differ because of:

• Fiber diameter

• Fiber orientation

• Polymer quality

• Bonding pattern

• Bonding area

• Thermal bonding conditions

• Hydrophilic treatment

• Fabric thickness

• Web uniformity

• Surface characteristics

For sanitary napkin applications, the buyer should therefore compare the complete technical specification.

A 12 GSM fabric with excellent uniformity and softness may be more suitable than a 15 GSM fabric with poor surface characteristics.

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5. Hydrophilic Spunbond Fabric for Sanitary Napkins

Hydrophilicity is one of the most important considerations when selecting a topsheet material.

A conventional PP surface is naturally hydrophobic.

For a sanitary napkin topsheet, however, the material generally needs to facilitate liquid movement from the surface toward the absorbent structure.

This is why manufacturers may specify hydrophilic spunbond nonwoven fabric.

The treatment can modify the surface's interaction with liquid.

When evaluating a supplier, buyers should ask:

• Is the fabric hydrophilic?

• What type of hydrophilic treatment is used?

• Is treatment applied uniformly?

• What is the initial wetting performance?

• How stable is the treatment during storage?

• How does the fabric perform after repeated liquid exposure?

• Is treatment compatibility confirmed for the intended application?

The key point is:

Hydrophilic treatment and liquid permeability should be evaluated together with GSM.

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6. Liquid Permeability Is More Important Than Simply Increasing GSM

The purpose of a sanitary napkin topsheet is not to absorb menstrual fluid itself.

Its role is primarily to allow liquid to move efficiently into the underlying absorbent structure while maintaining a comfortable surface.

Therefore, buyers should consider:

• Strike-through time

• Liquid penetration

• Repeated strike-through

• Surface wetness

• Rewet

• Hydrophilicity

• Pore structure

Increasing GSM does not automatically improve these characteristics.

In some cases, a carefully engineered lightweight fabric may provide better liquid passage than a heavier material.

Therefore:

Do not solve a liquid-permeability problem simply by increasing GSM.

First determine whether the real problem is related to:

• Hydrophilic treatment

• Fiber structure

• Bonding

• Fabric density

• Surface characteristics

• Underlying absorbent structure

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7. Softness Requirements for Sanitary Napkin Spunbond Fabric

Softness is particularly important for materials that come into direct or close contact with sensitive skin.

For this reason, sanitary napkin manufacturers often evaluate the fabric's:

• Hand feel

• Surface smoothness

• Flexibility

• Friction

• Bending behavior

• Local stiffness

• Fiber protrusion

Softness can be affected by the bonding process.

If bonding is too aggressive, the fabric can become:

• Stiffer

• Less flexible

• Less soft to the touch

If bonding is insufficient, however, the fabric may not have adequate mechanical integrity.

The goal is therefore optimized bonding, not simply maximum bonding.

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8. How Bonding Pattern Affects Sanitary Napkin Spunbond Fabric

Spunbond fabrics are commonly thermally bonded.

The bonding process affects:

• Tensile strength

• Tear resistance

• Softness

• Thickness

• Air permeability

• Surface feel

• Dimensional stability

Important manufacturing variables include:

• Bonding temperature

• Pressure

• Bonding area

• Embossing pattern

• Line speed

For hygiene materials, the bonding design needs to balance mechanical integrity with softness and permeability.

A very high bonding area may improve strength but can reduce flexibility and alter liquid or air transport.

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9. Tensile Strength Requirements

Sanitary napkin materials are processed at high speed.

The fabric may pass through:

• Unwinding

• Guiding

• Folding

• Cutting

• Lamination

• Elastic or adhesive application

• Ultrasonic bonding

• Packaging

Therefore, sufficient tensile strength is required.

Buyers should normally evaluate:

• MD tensile strength

• CD tensile strength

• MD elongation

• CD elongation

The machine direction is particularly important because the material experiences continuous tension while being unwound and processed.

However, excessive tensile strength should not automatically be treated as a sign of better topsheet quality.

The material needs the right balance between strength, softness and flexibility.

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10. Elongation and Flexibility

Elongation describes how much the material can stretch before breaking under a specified test condition.

For sanitary napkin components, elongation can influence:

• Conformability

• Flexibility

• Processing stability

• Folding

• Movement with the product structure

A fabric with extremely low elongation may feel and behave more rigidly.

A fabric with excessive elongation may create problems during high-speed processing if dimensional control becomes difficult.

Therefore, MD and CD elongation should be evaluated according to the finished-product design.

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11. Thickness of Spunbond Fabric for Sanitary Napkins

GSM and thickness are different measurements.

GSM = mass per unit area

Thickness = physical thickness of the fabric

A higher GSM fabric often contains more material, but thickness also depends on:

• Fiber diameter

• Fiber arrangement

• Fabric density

• Bonding

• Compression

• Production conditions

Thickness can influence:

• Softness

• Bulk

• Surface structure

• Liquid transport

• Compression behavior

• Finished-product thickness

For premium sanitary napkins where comfort and thinness are important, manufacturers should measure actual thickness instead of assuming it from GSM.

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12. Breathability and Air Permeability

Breathability can contribute to the comfort of hygiene products.

For a spunbond fabric, air permeability is affected by:

• Fiber structure

• Fabric density

• GSM

• Thickness

• Bonding pattern

• Porosity

A lightweight fabric does not automatically have excellent air permeability, and a heavier fabric does not automatically have poor air permeability.

The actual specification should be tested.

For sanitary napkin buyers, air permeability can be particularly relevant when evaluating overall product comfort and the interaction between multiple layers.

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13. GSM and Cost of Sanitary Napkin Fabric

GSM directly affects material consumption.

If a supplier quotes the fabric by kilogram, the approximate material cost per square meter can be calculated as:

Cost per m² = GSM ÷ 1000 × Price per kg

For example, using an illustrative price of US$2.00/kg:

GSM	Approximate cost/m²
10 GSM	US$0.020
12 GSM	US$0.024
15 GSM	US$0.030
18 GSM	US$0.036
20 GSM	US$0.040
25 GSM	US$0.050
30 GSM	US$0.060

These figures are only examples.

Actual supplier prices depend on:

• PP resin cost

• Order quantity

• GSM

• Width

• Hydrophilic treatment

• Color

• Packaging

• Production efficiency

• Market conditions

For high-volume sanitary napkin production, even a small GSM reduction can produce meaningful annual material savings.

But the reduction should only be made after confirming finished-product performance.

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14. How to Select GSM for Sanitary Napkin Topsheets

A practical selection process can start with several candidate GSM levels.

For example:

10 GSM → 12 GSM → 15 GSM → 18 GSM

The manufacturer can compare:

Property	10 GSM	12 GSM	15 GSM	18 GSM
Softness	Test	Test	Test	Test
Hydrophilicity	Test	Test	Test	Test
Strike-through	Test	Test	Test	Test
Rewet	Test	Test	Test	Test
MD tensile	Test	Test	Test	Test
CD tensile	Test	Test	Test	Test
Air permeability	Test	Test	Test	Test
Machine running	Test	Test	Test	Test
Finished napkin performance	Test	Test	Test	Test
Cost/m²	Calculate	Calculate	Calculate	Calculate

The final decision should be based on the total performance-to-cost ratio.

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15. Virgin PP vs Recycled PP for Sanitary Napkin Applications

Raw material selection becomes particularly important for hygiene products.

Two fabrics can have identical GSM but different:

• Strength

• Softness

• Appearance

• Odor

• Fiber consistency

• Processing stability

For applications involving direct skin contact, manufacturers should establish appropriate raw-material and compliance requirements for their target market.

When requesting a quotation, buyers should clearly specify whether they require:

Virgin PP

or

Recycled PP

They should not assume that the term "PP spunbond" automatically means the same raw-material specification across suppliers.

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16. White Spunbond Fabric for Sanitary Napkins

White is commonly used for visible sanitary napkin components because it provides a clean appearance.

For white hygiene fabric, buyers may evaluate:

• Color consistency

• Whiteness

• Surface uniformity

• Black spots

• Gel particles

• Fiber contamination

• Oil contamination

• Roll defects

Appearance consistency becomes particularly important for large-volume automated production.

A supplier should be able to maintain stable appearance across production batches.

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17. Width and Roll Specifications

GSM is only one part of the purchasing specification.

A sanitary napkin manufacturer also needs to specify:

• Fabric width

• Roll length

• Roll diameter

• Core diameter

• Core material

• Winding direction

• Joint requirements

• Packaging method

Width should be compatible with the production machine and the specific product design.

An incorrect width can create:

• Material waste

• Additional slitting

• Machine adjustment

• Lower production efficiency

Therefore, buyers should provide the supplier with their machine-compatible width requirements before quotation.

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18. What Should a Sanitary Napkin Manufacturer Put in an RFQ?

A professional RFQ could look like this:

Application: Sanitary napkin topsheet
Material: PP spunbond nonwoven
GSM: 10–15 GSM, supplier recommendation welcome
Treatment: Hydrophilic
Color: White
Width: XXX mm
MD/CD tensile: Required specification
MD/CD elongation: Required specification
Liquid permeability: Required
Softness: High
Roll length: XXX m/roll
Core: XXX mm
Monthly quantity: XXX tons
Packaging: Export standard

The phrase "supplier recommendation welcome" is useful.

It allows an experienced manufacturer to propose an alternative GSM if the requested specification is not the most economical solution.

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19. Questions to Ask a Spunbond Supplier

Before placing a bulk order, sanitary napkin manufacturers should ask:

Material

1. Is the fabric made from virgin PP?

2. What type of PP resin is used?

3. Is the fabric suitable for hygiene applications?

GSM

4. What is the nominal GSM?

5. What is the GSM tolerance?

6. How is GSM uniformity controlled?

Hydrophilicity

7. Is the material hydrophilic?

8. What is the treatment method?

9. How stable is the hydrophilic effect?

Mechanical properties

10. What are the MD/CD tensile values?

11. What are the MD/CD elongation values?

12. What is the tear strength?

Physical properties

13. What is the thickness?

14. What is the air permeability?

15. What is the surface structure?

16. What bonding pattern is used?

Production

17. Can you provide samples from normal production?

18. Can you support a machine trial?

19. What is the standard roll length?

20. What core diameter is available?

Quality control

21. How do you control GSM uniformity?

22. How do you inspect surface defects?

23. Can you provide batch inspection records?

24. Can production batches be traced?

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20. Fabric Testing vs Finished Sanitary Napkin Testing

Testing the nonwoven fabric alone is not enough.

A material can perform well in a laboratory but behave differently when incorporated into a complete sanitary napkin.

A more reliable validation process is:

Raw material → spunbond fabric → machine trial → finished sanitary napkin → performance testing

The manufacturer should evaluate the final product for relevant characteristics such as:

• Liquid acquisition

• Rewet

• Leakage control

• Surface dryness

• Comfort

• Dimensional stability

• Structural integrity

The exact tests should be selected according to the product design and applicable market requirements.

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21. Common Purchasing Mistakes

Mistake 1: Choosing the Lowest GSM

The lowest GSM may reduce material consumption but can create insufficient strength or machine-running problems.

The correct target is:

Lowest qualified GSM, not lowest possible GSM.

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Mistake 2: Comparing Price per Kilogram Only

Two suppliers may quote different prices/kg while offering different GSM.

Always calculate:

Cost/m² = GSM × Price/kg ÷ 1000

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Mistake 3: Ignoring Hydrophilic Treatment

For a topsheet application, buying a fabric based only on GSM and price can lead to poor liquid penetration.

Hydrophilicity should be explicitly specified and tested.

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Mistake 4: Assuming All PP Spunbond Is the Same

The phrase "PP spunbond" describes a material category, not a complete technical specification.

Fiber structure, bonding, treatment and raw material can differ considerably.

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Mistake 5: Testing Only One Sample

One sample may not represent the consistency of a full production order.

For large-volume purchasing, evaluate samples from different production batches whenever practical.

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22. A Practical Specification Sheet for Sanitary Napkin Spunbond

A buyer can use the following structure when comparing suppliers:

Specification	Buyer requirement
Application	Sanitary napkin
Component	Topsheet / other
Material	PP spunbond
Raw material	Virgin PP / specified
GSM	XX GSM
GSM tolerance	±X%
Color	White / custom
Treatment	Hydrophilic
Width	XXX mm
Thickness	XXX mm
MD tensile	XXX N
CD tensile	XXX N
MD elongation	XX%
CD elongation	XX%
Air permeability	XXX
Liquid permeability	Required
Roll length	XXX m
Core diameter	XXX mm
Joint requirement	Defined
Packaging	Export standard
Monthly quantity	XXX tons

This type of specification makes supplier comparison significantly easier.

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23. How MINGYU Can Support Sanitary Napkin Material Sourcing

For a sanitary napkin manufacturer, the supplier relationship should go beyond simply quoting a GSM and price.

A suitable spunbond supplier should be able to support:

• GSM selection

• Width customization

• Hydrophilic treatment

• Color customization

• Roll specifications

• Sample development

• Performance testing

• Machine trials

• Bulk production

• Quality consistency

For MINGYU, the most useful positioning is therefore not simply:

"We supply spunbond nonwoven fabric."

A stronger B2B message is:

"We help hygiene-product manufacturers select and supply PP spunbond fabric according to their required GSM, hydrophilicity, width, mechanical properties and production process."

This focuses the commercial value on material selection and production reliability, rather than only price.

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24. Buyer Decision Framework

When evaluating spunbond fabric for sanitary napkins, use this sequence:

Step 1 — Identify the component

Is the material for:

• Topsheet?

• Acquisition layer?

• Side/wing?

• Structural layer?

Step 2 — Define the main function

Is the priority:

• Softness?

• Liquid penetration?

• Strength?

• Breathability?

• Flexibility?

• Structural support?

Step 3 — Select a GSM range

Start with a practical range rather than one fixed number.

Step 4 — Define treatment

For topsheets, determine whether hydrophilic treatment is required.

Step 5 — Define mechanical properties

Specify MD/CD tensile and elongation requirements.

Step 6 — Confirm physical properties

Check:

• Thickness

• Air permeability

• Surface uniformity

• GSM consistency

Step 7 — Run a production trial

Test the material on the actual machine whenever possible.

Step 8 — Compare total cost

Calculate:

Cost/m² = GSM ÷ 1000 × Price/kg

Step 9 — Validate the finished product

The final decision should be based on the performance of the completed sanitary napkin.

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25. FAQ About Spunbond Fabric for Sanitary Napkins

What GSM spunbond fabric is used for sanitary napkins?

A broad commercial reference is approximately 8–30 GSM depending on the component. Lightweight topsheets often use lower GSM, while structural and liquid-management components may require higher GSM.

What GSM is suitable for a sanitary napkin topsheet?

Approximately 8–18 GSM can be used as a general reference range, but the optimal GSM depends on softness, hydrophilicity, liquid permeability, tensile strength and machine performance.

Should sanitary napkin topsheet spunbond fabric be hydrophilic?

For conventional topsheet applications where liquid needs to pass through the surface, hydrophilic treatment is commonly considered important. The exact requirement depends on the product structure and liquid-management design.

Is higher GSM better for sanitary napkins?

No. Higher GSM increases material consumption and does not automatically provide better softness or liquid permeability. The best GSM is the lowest level that meets the required performance.

What material is commonly used for sanitary napkin spunbond fabric?

PP is widely used for spunbond hygiene materials because it can produce lightweight continuous-filament nonwovens with controlled mechanical and surface properties.

Is 10 GSM spunbond suitable for sanitary napkins?

It can be suitable for some lightweight components if its softness, strength, liquid permeability, hydrophilicity and machine-running performance meet the manufacturer's requirements.

How do I compare two sanitary napkin spunbond suppliers?

Do not compare price/kg alone. Compare GSM, GSM tolerance, raw material, hydrophilic treatment, tensile strength, elongation, thickness, air permeability, liquid performance, roll specifications, quality consistency and effective cost/m².

How can I reduce sanitary napkin material cost?

One approach is to optimize GSM, but cost reduction should be validated through machine trials and finished-product testing. Reducing GSM without maintaining performance can increase production losses.

What should I specify when buying spunbond fabric for sanitary napkins?

At minimum, specify application, component, material, GSM, width, color, hydrophilic requirement, tensile requirements, roll specifications and quantity. For high-volume production, also define performance and quality tolerances.

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Conclusion

Selecting spunbond fabric for sanitary napkins requires more than choosing a GSM and asking for the lowest quotation.

For many applications, lightweight spunbond materials in approximately 8–30 GSM provide a useful starting reference, with topsheets generally evaluated toward the lighter end.

But the correct specification depends on the function of the component.

For a sanitary napkin topsheet, the most important combination may be:

Low GSM + softness + hydrophilicity + liquid permeability + sufficient strength

For structural components, the priorities may shift toward:

GSM + tensile strength + flexibility + dimensional stability

The most effective purchasing strategy is therefore:

Application → performance requirements → GSM → treatment → fabric structure → machine trial → finished-product testing → cost optimization

The goal is not to buy the cheapest spunbond fabric.

The goal is to identify the most cost-efficient fabric that consistently meets the required hygiene-product performance and production requirements.