Oji Nepia to Launch Nepia Tender Night Comfort Pad Hip Care Series to Reduce Skin Issues and Caregiving Burden

Oji Nepia Co., Ltd. will launch the new “Nepia Tender Night Comfort Pad Hip Care” series under its adult diaper brand Nepia Tender from May 28, 2026. The series is designed to help prevent skin problems caused by prolonged nighttime use and reduce the caregiving burden associated with diaper changes. The lineup includes three items: Ultra, Extra, and Kore Ichimai. The new products feature a newly adopted “Hip Care Sheet” that reduces urine rewet from the pad by about 70%, a new “Central Rich Absorbent Core” that limits urine spread while absorbing it, and a “3D Watery Stool Permeation System” that allows watery stool to pass through and be absorbed. Nighttime diaper changes can be burdensome for both care recipients and caregivers. By reducing contact between urine and skin during long periods of use while preventing leakage, the product aims to help prevent skin problems and reduce the need for changes. As Japan’s population ages, a shortage of care workers has become a serious issue. According to estimates by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the required number of care workers is expected to rise from about 2.15 million in fiscal 2022 to about 2.4 million in fiscal 2026, and to about 2.72 million in fiscal 2040. Incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD), caused by urine or stool coming into contact with the skin, is a common skin problem when diapers are worn. It can involve skin damage, severe itching, and pain, while also increasing the need for medical examination and care, placing additional pressure on care workers and nurses. Nepia Tender Pad was developed under the concept of “co-created care,” with the goal of realizing excretion care that is easy for anyone to use and gentle on the skin in environments facing labor shortages. Based on the design principles described in IAD Best Practice, the product aims to reduce the skin area exposed to urine by using a compact pad structure while increasing absorbency at the crotch with the Central Rich Absorbent Core. The Hip Care Sheet blocks rewet in the hip area, where body pressure is likely to be applied, reducing urine adhesion to the skin. Even during prolonged use, heavy urination, or repeated urination that spreads toward the rear of the pad, it helps prevent skin maceration and lowers the risk of skin trouble. The surface uses a three-dimensional “fluffy emboss” structure that creates air passages between the pad and skin to release heat and moisture, combined with a fully breathable outer sheet to reduce stuffiness. Company testing confirmed that heat was reduced by about 45% compared with a non-embossed sheet. To address leakage risks from watery stool and repeated nighttime urination, the product includes the 3D Watery Stool Permeation System, which enlarges gaps between surface fibers so watery stool can quickly pass through to the inner absorbent core. The fluffy emboss also suppresses surface spread, reducing the diffusion area of watery stool by about 54%. The Central Rich Absorbent Core increases absorption in the center crotch area, quickly spot-absorbing urine and reducing lateral leakage risk near the urethral opening. The product also features a “crotch-width fit slit” design, making it easier to insert even between closed legs and helping it fit various body types, including people with contractures that make it difficult to open the legs. This improves ease of application, reduces gaps, and helps prevent leakage. Oji Nepia says it will continue improving products and services through visits to hospitals and care facilities by specialist counselors, collecting frontline feedback and co-creating solutions for excretion care.