Pampers answers magicmaman questions on the diapers
Chaque seconde, 635 couches culottes jetables sont utilisées sur les bébés dans le monde. Soit 20 milliards chaque année. Une montagne gigantesque de couches ! Elles font donc partie intégrante de la vie de Bébé lors de ses premières années. Et elles posent de nombreuses interrogations : sont-elles efficaces contre les fuites ? Les ingrédients utilisés pour les fabriquer sont-ils nocifs ? Seront-elles un jour recyclables ? Emmanuelle Bégué, Ingénieur & Expert Scientifique Pampers a répondu à nos questions.
Why are the diapers white?How have the layers have been bleached since the stopping of the whitening at the chlorine?
Nous sommes à l’écoute des parents, et chaque semaine nous accueillons plus de 1 200 familles dans notre centre de R&D (Recherche et développement) car ce sont les parents qui sont les premiers experts pour Pampers. Au travers des nombreuses études que nous conduisons dans le monde, les consommateurs ont clairement démontré une préférence pour des couches blanches. Le fait d’avoir une couche blanche à l’intérieur évoque pour eux la propreté, et l’hygiène au contact de la peau, et à l’extérieur, leur préférence se tourne vers des couches avec des motifs et couleurs.
Vidéo du jour :Some components of the layer are already white, others not because they come from vegetable sources such as cellulose and are therefore bleached.There are several laundering processes: ECF and TCF are two of them.We use both because specialists as regulatory authorities consider them safe and effective.
ECF means "Elemental Chlorine Free", in other words "without elementary chlorine".This means that the cellulose fiber whitening process does not use elementary chlorine which is the other name of gas chlorine.TCF means "Totally Chlorine Free" or "Totally without chlorine".This cellulose whitening process does not use any chlorine compound.
Although this is a "whitening" process, Pampers does not add chlorine to its diapers.
How does the urine indicator work?Is it a chemical process?
It is a yellow band that becomes blue in contact with the baby's urine to indicate that it is time to change the layer.It is a principle of reaction to the pH.
Can a disposable layer be ecological?Will PAMPER diapers be recyclable one day?
You should know that all layers are made up of biodegradable (eg cellulose) and non -biodegradable (eg elastics) parts.Today in France, all layers are cremated.We are committed to optimizing the necessary resources and the environmental footprint generated during the different stages of the product life cycle.We therefore, at first, worked to reduce the amount of raw materials used - in the space of 20 years, the weight of our layers has almost been divided by two.
We have also carried out research to create a pioneer technology capable of recycling all the components of the disposable layers and transforming them into reusable raw materials.In October 2017, we opened the first industrial layer recycling plant in the world in Italy thanks to a joint venture with the Italian company Fater Spa.Thanks to this unique innovation, we are able to clean, disinfect, and separate the different materials constituting a layer in order to give a second life to these components, such as the manufacture of offices or school benches.We are currently exploring the possibility of establishing this unique technology in Paris in the near future.
To return to our latest innovation, the vegetable ingredients of Pampers harmony come from responsible sources and the layers are produced with 100% renewable energy.
How to explain the leaks when the guarantee is 12 hours?
From our experience with parents and with our experts, we have learned how different each baby is and that absorption and performance results are influenced by their age, morphology, lifestyle and diet.It's a bit like with clothes: diapers adapt differently to each baby or infants.Sometimes leaks occur because the layer does not contain enough absorbent material for the production of baby urine: it may be time to go to the upper size.
What have you changed between the two surveys of 60 million consumers?
First of all, I would like to say that our 700 scientists work in collaboration with parents and health and early childhood professionals to ensure the highest safety and performance standards.
We have reinforced our control system by reviving each component, each manufacturing step and each supplier.This extremely rigorous control system is articulated around 3 steps: we control, check and test our products at each development phase.
Nous contrôlons : tous nos composants sont rigoureusement sélectionnés et évalués en détails par nos toxicologues. Nous respectons toutes les réglementations (FR & EU) et allons même au-delà. Nous appliquons une approche extrêmement conservative pour sélectionner un composant : il est sélectionné seulement s’il a démontré son innocuité dans des conditions exagérées d’exposition i.e. après une exposition journalière sur 75 ans.
We check: to ensure the quality and safety of our products, the layers are evaluated throughout the manufacturing process.Each layer is permanently followed by more than 500 sensors and we carry out more than 2,000 checks per day on extracted products.
We test: all pampers layers are tested dermatologically and clinically.Our products are regularly tested with recognized independent laboratories and we regularly conduct clinical studies on the finished product and on certain components (irritation and hypoallergenic test).
It is this quality system that allows us to guarantee the highest levels of safety and performance.
We also obtained one of the most demanding certifications around the world last January for babies in contact with the skin: the 100 of Oeko-Tex Standard.This independent institute tests the potential presence of a hundred substances by carrying out systematic checks in our factories and randoms in stores.
Studies on the traces of chemical substances are a very complex subject to apprehend;This is why we take concrete measures to better understand this social issue as a participant of a working group led by the International Medicine Journal (JIM).The objective is to better understand the presence of these traces in everyday products, their effects, how to reduce them and how to communicate and inform consumers as well as possible.
Why not give the precise composition of each layer reference on the packaging?
This is what we have been doing since the end of 2016 on the Internet and since 2018 on Pampers packages.In addition, we are constantly listening to parents: once the product has been released, we continue to ensure the safety and quality of our products and answer any question.
In the latest harmony range, more natural, why not have chosen 100% of components of natural origin?For example, there is polypropylene.
Our teams of researchers work ardently to integrate materials of vegetable origin without compromising pampers absorption.Each day, we seek to design new products and use plant materials, always more innovative and always more respectful of the environment.However, it is not possible today to design a layer with 100% of components of natural origin.
For example, an ingredient used in all disposable strata to retain moisture and keep babies dry: polypropylene.The latter is a technical fiber that brings comfort to the parts of the layer in contact with the skin.Polypropylene is also used in babies' clothes.Like all the components that enter the manufacture of pampers layers, polypropylene has demonstrated its safety in exaggerated conditions.
Is there a difference in quality of the Pampers diapers depending on the reseller?Do stores or sites that make promotions that sell old stocks not sell layers where we can find old models that contained toxic substances that Pampers no longer use?
At Pampers, nothing is more important than the well-being and safety of babies.All Pampers layers are 100% safe and have always been, as confirmed by the results of many independent laboratory tests each year.
Why do some brands manage to make layers at zero toxic residue and not all?
I can't say for other brands.Pampers layers are 100% safe as confirmed by the results of numerous independent laboratory tests each year.We do not add these substances and will never do it.
Is there regulation regarding babies?
We have a very controlled and demanding quality system that allows us to guarantee both performance, comfort and safety at babies.All the components and ingredients of our products are rigorously selected, evaluated and respect French laws and European directives, such as European cosmetics regulations, the Reach directive, the General Safety Directive No. 2001/95/or European wood regulations No. 995/2010 or the regulation on biocidal products, followed by our suppliers.
In addition to these regulations, Pampers® layers are dermatologically tested, and our Baby Dry ranges and harmony are certified by the 100 of Oeko-Tex Standard, a most demanding certification around the world for babies in contact withthe skin.As part of this certification, Oeko-Tex, an independent institute, tests the potential presence of a hundred substances by carrying out systematic checks in our factories and randoms in stores.
What will be the next innovations?
We are constantly listening to parents and our 700 scientists work in collaboration with them as well as with health and early childhood professionals to develop our strata continuously.We develop our products almost every year.We cannot communicate on the future, but be convinced that our approach is always continuing to innovate in complete transparency in order to offer babies the best possible products.
*UFC Que Choisir / 60 million consumers
