The hygiene industry has changed drastically in recent years, particularly in the feminine care business. With new and challenging changes to products and market demands comes a wide variety of innovations fit to cater an ample range of needs from a highly diverse group of users.

One user group that has heavily influenced the feminine care market’s direction is millennials, which comprise around 31% of the total global population and are entering their prime purchasing years. This group of key buyers is guided by their selective purchasing patterns and takes health and wellness into consideration on every purchase they make. (Fig. 1) These purchasing decisions are leading the new product launches across the different regions and reshaping the performance target for the components materials involved in the feminine articles.

Global Feminine Hygiene Market Trends

One clear trend in the feminine market that caters to an active lifestyle and need for added functionality is the increase of health skin and odor control innovations. These range from products with antibacterial claims, using additives and internal absorption layers with properties to capture or mask the intimate area odors after a long day of work or activity.

A growing niche is the ecofriendly feminine care market, not limited only to organic pads. Options like menstrual cups and reusable period underwear are available to millennials who are concerned about the environment. Hygiene regional and global players are creating diverse product niches to address this growing consumer trend.

Functional changes in the feminine care products are also widely spread across the globe. These particular innovations aim to make life easier for users and avoid interruptions to their usual routines. Products that offer added flexibility of the pad’s core are available in Asia. In Latin America, there are panty liners designed to adjust to different types of underwear, as well as a two-in-one version that eliminates the need to carry a spare liner.

These global trends present an opportunity for manufacturers of absorbent hygiene products to differentiate themselves through innovations that address consumer needs and deliver production efficiencies. The newest positioning adhesive from H.B. Fuller addresses consumer demand for feminine care products that deliver a reliable and seamless experience, while offering up to 25% cost in use savings.

Introducing Full-Care® 6215 Positioning Adhesive

To address the need for products that accommodate an active lifestyle and offer increased functionality, H.B. Fuller created an innovative and high performing new positioning adhesive, Full-Care® 6215.

This new positioning grade was created by our skilled chemists, taking the experience that our global company has gathered in the highly competitive Asian market to develop a product that is robust enough to adjust to the wide range of substrates used in the feminine market.

Full-Care® 6215 ensures consistently higher peels values at efficient coat weights, compared to other positioning adhesives in the market – even in presence of different types of garments fabrics like cotton, polyester and microfiber. It is an exceptional choice for adjusting to the ever-evolving market needs.

Furthermore, this product offers the opportunity of savings, via a reduction in the adhesive usage. With Full-Care® 6215, you can decrease adhesive coat weight up to 25% while maintaining a clean and precise application via transfer or direct coating.