Paul T. Van Gompel, Hortonville, WI; Yung H. Huang, Appleton, WI; Gregory K. Hall, Menasha, WI; and Cedric A. Dunkerly, Alpharetta, GA.
Assigned to Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc., Neenah, WI.

Filed: 11/4/11
Issued: 5/30/17

A disposable absorbent article comprising: an outer cover having a bodyfacing surface and a garment facing surface; a liner superposed over the bodyfacing surface of the outer cover, the outer cover comprising a substantially continuous outer cover nonwoven web; an absorbent core disposed between the liner and the bodyfacing surface of the outer cover; and a fastening system, the fastening system comprising a male component having a plurality of hook elements and a female component adapted for releasable engagement with the male component, wherein the outer cover nonwoven web forms the female component, such that the male component is releasably engageable directly with the garment facing surface of the outer cover, wherein the female component contains at least a first area and a second area, wherein the first area is modified by embossing a surface of the female component contacted by the male component, and wherein the first area comprises continuous bonded areas that define a plurality of discrete unbonded areas, wherein a peak shear force to disengage the male component from the first area is reduced by no less than 5% and no more than 70% of a peak shear force to disengage the male component from the second area.