A baby wearing diapers holding its feet.
Hygiene

Hygiene

Baby diapers

Smiling baby walking on bed

They are true high-tech products that, over the years, have become more comfortable, thinner and more absorbent. The main reason lies in the use of innovative superabsorbent polymers.

With their help it has been possible to develop thinner diapers that not only keep babies dry for a longer time, offer more freedom of movement and due to material savings even contribute to sustainability.

We offer optimized products for a wide range of diaper cores, from high to low fluff content with a high absorption capacity, permeability and absorbency under load. 

Three stacks of baby diapers with different diaper thickness on a table in front of a blue background.

Consumer Needs

  • Leakage prevention
  • Skin protection and conditioning
  • Wearing comfort
  • Improved sustainability, eco labels & waste reduction
  • Special design

World Facts

 

47 %

of all babies will have a diaper by 2025

  • About 370,000 babies are born every day, 40% currently start life in a disposable diaper.
  • Emerging markets: full market penetration mean 5 diapers per day till the age of 2.5 years. Today some babies live with max. one diaper a day.
  • Developed markets: full market penetration mean 5 diapers per day till the age of 2.5 years and 2 diapers per day till 3.5 years.

More and more people can afford to buy hygiene products

  • China: Real GDP/capita growth is at around 5,5% per year, Urbanisation rate (currently 60%) is strongly increasing
  • India: Real GDP/capita growth of 5,5% per year, number of middle-income earners is expanding rapidly at 30% a year on average
  • Brazil: number of middle-class households already increased dramatically within last 10 year

 

Consumption patterns for hygiene products can vary greatly among emerging markets because of culture, religion, climate etc.

  • While e.g. disposable baby diapers are already widely used in Latin America, only a very small number of Indian babies get to see one
  • Even within a country there can be significant differences: In China open crotch pants are common in rural areas but hardly in cities like Shanghai or Hong Kong

BASF Global Hygiene Portfolio

White supersorbent polymers as a fine powder on a blue background.
HySorb®
With HySorb® the BASF’s Hygiene business offers a comprehensive portfolio of state-of-the art superabsorbents. 
A green field with some yellow flowers. BASF production facilities in the background.
HySorb® Biomass Balanced
HySorb® Biomass Balanced is our high-performance superabsorbent polymer based on renewable raw materials with a sustainability certificate.
A field with green crop during sunset. In the background, wind turbines are visible against the sunlit sky.
HySorb® B 6610 ZeroPCF
HySorb® B 6610 ZeroPCF is our first polyacrylate based superabsorbent polymer (SAP) marketed with a product carbon footprint (PCF) of zero for the hygiene industry
White superabsorbent polymers sprinkeled on a glass surface in front of a blue background.
SAVIVA®
SAVIVA®, the next generation of superabsorbent polymer is based on a pioneering technology platform, the droplet polymerization.