Progressively functional stretch garments

1. An absorbent article comprising a stretchable outercover layer, a stretchable liner layer, and an absorbent layer contained between said stretchable outercover layer and said stretchable liner layer, said absorbent article having a longitudinal direction and longitudinal ends, and a lateral direction and lateral sides, said article further comprising

a front waist region at a first longitudinal end, a back waist region at an opposite longitudinal end, and a crotch region extending longitudinally between said front and back waist regions;

laterally extending ear portions defined at opposed lateral sides of said front and back waist regions,

wherein said outercover includes at least three material zones, with a first zone situated in the crotch region between the front waist region and the back waist region and demonstrating a higher level of hysteresis than a second and third zone of between about 5 and 85 percent, with second and third zones situated on the laterally extending ear portions of said outercover and demonstrating a level of hysteresis of between about 0 and 60 percent;

wherein said second and third zones of said outercover comprise a higher performance elastomeric material than the elastomeric material of said first zone;

wherein said elastomeric material of said second and third zones and said elastomeric material of said first zone are synergistically interactive.

2. The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein said article includes a fourth zone situated at the front and back waist regions, said fourth zone demonstrating a level of hysteresis of between about 0 and 60 percent.

3. An absorbent garment, comprising:

an absorbent chassis defining a waist opening and first and second leg openings;

the absorbent chassis having a front region, a crotch region, and a back region, with two side panels each joining the front region and the back region, each of the side panels including a front panel and a back panel attached to one another along a side seam with an elastic waistband structure attached to said waist opening edge;

wherein said front, back and crotch regions are covered by an outer cover and said outer cover has a higher hysteresis than said side panels of greater than or equal to 40% and a tension at 25% elongation (on a first extension cycle) of 300 g or more;

wherein said side panels have a hysteresis of less than or equal to 60% and a tension at 25% elongation (on the a first extension cycle) of 100 g or more; wherein said side waistband has a hysteresis of less than or equal to 60% and a tension at 25% elongation (on a first extension cycle) of 100 g or more;

wherein said side panels comprise a higher performance elastomeric material than the elastomeric material of said front, back, and crotch regions;

wherein said elastomeric material of said side panels and said elastomeric material of said front, back, and crotch regions are synergistically interactive.

4. The absorbent garment of claim 3 wherein said outer cover demonstrates a percent set of greater than 50%.

5. The absorbent garment of claim 3 wherein said side panels demonstrate a percent set of less than 15%.

6. The absorbent garment of claim 3 wherein said outer cover demonstrates a water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) of greater than 3000 g per square meter for 24 hours.

7. The absorbent garment of claim 3 wherein said side panels demonstrate a WVTR of greater than 600 g per square meter for 24 hours.

8. The absorbent garment of claim 3 wherein said outer cover demonstrates a tension at 150% elongation of less than 2000 g.

9. The absorbent garment of claim 3 wherein said side panels demonstrate a tension at 150% elongation of less than 600 g.

10. An absorbent garment, comprising:

an absorbent chassis defining a waist opening and first and second leg openings;

the absorbent chassis having a front region, a crotch region, and a back region, with two side panels each joining the front region and the back region, each of the side panels including a front panel and a back panel attached to one another along a side seam with an elastic waistband structure attached to said waist opening edge;

wherein said front, back and crotch regions are covered by an outer cover and said outer cover has a hysteresis of greater than or equal to 80% and a tension at 25% elongation (on a first extension cycle) of 400 g or more;

wherein said side panels have a hysteresis of less than or equal to 40% and a tension at 25% elongation (on a first extension cycle) of 200 g or more;

wherein said side panels comprise a higher performance elastomeric material than the elastomeric material of said front, back, and crotch regions;

wherein said elastomeric material of said side panels and said elastomeric material of said front, back, and crotch regions are synergistically interactive;

wherein said side waistband has a hysteresis of less than or equal to 40% and a tension at 25% elongation (on a first extension cycle) of 200 g or more.

11. The absorbent garment of claim 10 wherein said outer cover demonstrates a percent set of greater than 80%.

12. The absorbent garment of claim 10 wherein said side panels demonstrate a percent set of less than 10%.

13. The absorbent garment of claim 10 wherein said outer cover demonstrates a WVTR of greater than 1500 g per square meter for 24 hours.

14. The absorbent garment of claim 10 wherein said side panels demonstrate a WVTR of greater than 1500 g per square meter for 24 hours.

15. The absorbent garment of claim 10 wherein said outer cover demonstrates a tension at 150% elongation of less than 1800 g.

16. The absorbent garment of claim 10 wherein said side panels demonstrate a tension at 150% elongation of less than 500 g.

17. An absorbent garment, comprising:

an absorbent chassis defining a waist opening and first and second leg openings;

the absorbent chassis having a front region, a crotch region, and a back region, with two side panels each joining the front region and the back region, each of the side panels including a front panel and a back panel attached to one another along a side seam with an elastic waistband structure attached to said waist opening edge;

wherein said front, back and crotch regions are covered by an outer cover and said outer cover has a hysteresis of between about 80% and 100% and a tension at 25% elongation (on a first extension cycle) of 500 g or more;

wherein said side panels have a hysteresis of less than or equal to 20% and a tension at 25% elongation (on a first extension cycle) of 250 g or more;

wherein said side panels comprise a higher performance elastomeric material than the elastomeric material of said front, back, and crotch regions;

wherein said elastomeric material of said side panels and said elastomeric material of said front, back, and crotch regions are synergistically interactive;

wherein said side waistband has a hysteresis of less than or equal to 20% and a tension at 25% elongation (on a first extension cycle) of 250 g or more.

18. The absorbent garment of claim 17 wherein said outer cover demonstrates a percent set of up to 100%.

19. The absorbent garment of claim 17 wherein said side panels demonstrate a percent set of less than 5%.

20. The absorbent garment of claim 17 wherein said outer cover demonstrates a WVTR of greater than 600 g per square meter for 24 hours.

21. The absorbent garment of claim 17 wherein said side panels demonstrate a WVTR of greater than 3000 g per square meter for 24 hours.

22. The absorbent garment of claim 17 wherein said outer cover demonstrates a tension at 150% elongation of less than 1500 g.

23. The absorbent garment of claim 17 wherein said side panels demonstrate a tension at 150% elongation of less than 400 g.