Unicharm Corp.’s new product, “Natural Moony,” Japan’s first disposable diaper for babies with a surface sheet containing organic cotton, has recorded growing sales since it was put on sale across the country on October 25.

Natural Moony has increased the softness of its surface sheet that touches the skin by 20% by mixing organic cotton. Also, by switching the hydrophilic agent used for the sheet to purely plant-derived one, the sheet has been made additive-free, mildly acidic to make sure that babies wearing the diaper can feel secured.

By using “Yuru-unchi Kyushu Zone” (soft stool-absorbing zone), a newly developed technology of using an uneven structure to absorb soft stool, Natural Moony has reduced the amount of soft stool remaining on babies’ buttocks — a phenomenon unique to babies less than 4 months old — by 36%. This has eliminated one of the elements that has caused diaper rash to babies’ skin. Unicharm is determined to propose these new values to the diaper market by releasing Natural Moony.

Unicharm held an event in Tokyo on November 30 to commemorate the release of the new product.

At the event held at the Nihonbashi Mitsui Hall in Tokyo’s Chuo Ward, celebrity Emiri Henmi, who has a 3-year-old daughter and regularly writes about her childrearing on her blog, and dermatologist Arata Tomori, who gave birth to her second child this past August, participated in a talk show on the stage. The guests talked about the way they are bringing up their children as well as their use of organic goods in their daily lives.

Tomori emphasized that Natural Moony is friendly to babies. “I think babies are glad (to use diapers containing organic cotton). Babies’ skin is very sensitive because the thickness of their skin is about half that of adults. And their backside tends to develop a rash by the friction from being wiped repeatedly every day. By using soft organic cotton for part of the diaper that touches babies’ buttocks is great,” she says.

Takahisa Takahara, president and CEO of Unicharm, also took the rostrum during the event, and explained the concept of Natural Moony.

“In developing Natural Moony, we aimed to realize a diaper that allows babies to feel as if they were gently enveloped by their mothers’ hands at all times. As the social environment surrounding mothers has undergone drastic changes in recent years, the demand for disposable diapers from those rearing their children has become increasingly sophisticated and diversified,” says Takahara. “We are confident that Natural Moony can meet the requirements of our customers, who want to select diapers using natural, safe and high-quality materials, just like when selecting food and cosmetics.”

Regarding the company’s marketing of Natural Moony overseas, Takahara says, “We will hold a Super Brand Day event on China’s Tmall (online shopping mall) on December 15, and officially release Natural Moony at our Tmall Global Moony flagship store.”

Yoko Kawakami, assistant brand manager for baby goods at the company’s Global Marketing Department, said at the event, “We propose new standards for the way you select diapers by putting Natural Moony on the market under the slogan of ‘selecting diapers is selecting materials.'” She then explained the soft texture of Japan’s first surface sheet containing organic cotton, as well as the newly developed “Yuru-unchi Kyushu Zone” technology of using an uneven structure to absorb soft stool, of Natural Moony.