Adult Absorbency Standards
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NATIONAL QUALITY PERFORMANCE STANDARDS FOR Adult ABSORBENT PRODUCTS
Absorbent incontinence products play an important role in helping people manage bladder and bowel leakage with greater comfort, confidence, and dignity. For many individuals, families, caregivers, healthcare providers, and state programs, product performance matters.
NAFC and INDA are proud to support the National Absorbency Standards, which help advance consistency and transparency in evaluating absorbent incontinence products.
These standards provide a clear framework for assessing key performance measures in disposable adult absorbent products. They are designed to help manufacturers, state Medicaid programs, procurement teams, healthcare providers, and other decision-makers better understand how products perform using consistent, objective test methods.
Why Absorbency Standards Matter
Not all absorbent products perform the same way. Differences in how quickly a product absorbs fluid, how well it keeps moisture away from the skin, how much fluid it can retain, how it fits, and how breathable it is can all affect the user’s comfort, skin health, confidence, and quality of life.
The Quality Absorbency Standards help support:
- More consistent product evaluation
- Greater transparency in product performance
- Better-informed purchasing and coverage decisions
- Improved confidence for individuals and caregivers choosing products
- A shared framework for manufacturers, payers, and public programs
The Five Key Performance Tests
The current Quality Absorbency Standards include five performance test methods, along with additional product recommendations related to sizing, safety, and closure systems.
Rewet Rate
Rewet rate evaluates how much fluid returns to the surface of a product after it has absorbed liquid. This helps assess how well a product keeps moisture away from the skin.
Rate of Acquisition
Rate of acquisition measures how quickly fluid is absorbed into the product. Faster acquisition can help reduce pooling and leakage and may improve comfort for the person using the product.
Retention Capacity
Retention capacity measures how much fluid a product can hold after absorption. This is an important indicator of how well a product retains liquid under testing conditions.
New update: vacuum method for retention capacity testing
One important update to the National Absorbency Standards is the addition of a new vacuum method for measuring retention capacity.
Retention capacity is one of the most important measures of absorbent product performance. The new vacuum method was added to provide a more consistent and reliable way to evaluate how well a product holds fluid under standardized testing conditions.
NAFC and INDA, together with the Absorbent Task Force, support this update as part of a broader effort to strengthen product evaluation and improve consistency across the industry.
Elasticity
Elasticity evaluates the stretch and recovery of product materials. This helps assess whether a product can maintain fit and function during use.
Air Permeability
Air permeability measures airflow through product materials or breathable areas. Breathability may play an important role in comfort and heat/moisture management.
Additional Product Recommendations
In addition to the five performance test methods, the standards also include recommendations related to:
Sizing Options
Products should be available in a range of sizes to support an appropriate fit across different body types and user needs.
Safety
Products should not include components or additives identified by federal regulatory agencies as unsafe.
Closure System
Products should include a closure system that allows the product to be opened and re-closed as appropriate for fit, changing, and care needs.
Who Uses The Standards?
The National Absorbency Standards may be useful for:
- State Medicaid programs and other public payers
- Procurement teams evaluating absorbent product contracts
- Manufacturers and product developers
- Healthcare providers and care teams
- Long-term care and home care organizations
- Advocates and policymakers
- Consumers and caregivers who want to better understand product performance
Information for states and procurement teams
NAFC is currently developing a state toolkit to help Medicaid programs and other state agencies better understand and implement the National Absorbency Standards.
The toolkit will include more information about the test methods, why the new vacuum method was added, and how states can incorporate the standards into procurement and coverage processes.
This toolkit is currently in development. Please check back for updates or contact NAFC for more information.
Accessing the test methods
All current testing methods may be found on the INDA website.
Questions?
For questions about the National Absorbency Standards, the new vacuum method, or NAFC’s upcoming state toolkit, please contact NAFC.
