Kao Corporation Human Healthcare Centre
Sanitary Research Lab Principal
Researcher Jun Sasaki
Co-developer
Japan Women's University Professor
Dr. Michiko Oozuka
Young children cannot tell us how they feel about the items they are wearing. This is precisely why it is important for us as developers to create products that provide absolute comfort!
We focused on key qualities like "flexibility and ease of movement" and "ensuring a comfortable fit" for Merries pants diapers. As these diapers will be worn by toddlers during the stage where their curiosity makes them extremely active, we sought to design a product that took into consideration this aspect of their life.
Firstly, by treating the diaper as part of the "clothing", we developed waist gathers that will fit a baby's special anatomy perfectly. As a result, we managed to reduce the pressure on the baby's waist by half. Even if the baby's tummy should expand after a hearty meal, he would be able to move around freely without feeling any tightness or discomfort!
Thus, by allowing the baby to move around freely even when he is in diapers, his development potential is fully realised. This is the basis for our development of Merries pants diapers. We want to see more smiling mothers spending time with their babies who feel relaxed because they are wearing comfortable diapers!
The idea of approaching the product not as a diaper but a piece of clothing enabled the developers to achieve an ideal balance that is "not too tight" and "not too loose" in the product. You could say this is a universal diaper design! This product took into consideration a baby's anatomy and lifestyle as well as the opinions of mothers. This fact was clearly reflected in the meticulous details, like the anti-leakage gathers.
What is the Good Design Award?
Started in 1957, the Good Design Award is the only program in Japan for comprehensive design review and recommendation. This award is not a beauty contest. It is a campaign to enrich the society through design, and at the same time, drive industrial growth.