Decorative component for an absorbent article

1 . A decorative component material having a longitudinal dimension for use in the manufacture of an absorbent article, the decorative component material comprising a surface; wherein the surface comprises at least one design, the design having a pattern length in the longitudinal dimension of the decorative component material that is greater than or less than the total length of at least one dimension of at least one decorative component, wherein the decorative component is associated with the decorative component material.

2 . The decorative component material of claim 1 , wherein the at least one dimension of the decorative component comprises the longitudinal dimension of the decorative component.

3 . The decorative component material of claim 1 , wherein the at least one dimension of the decorative component comprises the lateral dimension of the decorative component.

4 . The decorative component material of claim 1 , wherein the decorative component material comprises a back sheet for a disposable absorbent article.

5 . The decorative component material of claim 4 , wherein the back sheet comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, nylon, polylactic acid, polyvinyl chloride and blends of these materials.

6 . The decorative component material of claim 5 , wherein the back sheet has disposed thereon an additional layer comprising a material selected from the group consisting of spun-bonded nonwoven web of synthetic fibers; a nonwoven web of cellulosic fibers, textile fibers, or a blend of cellulosic and textile fibers; a spun-bonded nonwoven web of synthetic fibers mixed with cellulosic, pulp fibers, or textile fibers; and melt blown thermoplastic fibers or mixtures of such thermoplastic fibers with cellulosic, pulp or textile fibers.

7 . The decorative component material of claim 1 , wherein the design is printed on the decorative component material using an offset printing process.

8 . A method of making an absorbent article, the absorbent article having a longitudinal dimension substantially corresponding to the front-to-rear dimension of the wearer of the absorbent article, comprising:

providing a back sheet material;

providing at least one decorative component on the back sheet material, the decorative component comprising at least one design disposed in at least one dimension of the decorative component, the design having a pattern length that is not substantially equal to the total length of the at least one dimension of the decorative component;

providing a top sheet material; and

providing an absorbent core at least partially between the back sheet material and the top sheet material.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the at least one dimension of the decorative component comprises the longitudinal dimension of the decorative component.

10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the at least one dimension of the decorative component comprises the lateral dimension of the decorative component.

11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the the back sheet material is liquid impervious.

12 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the backsheet is liquid pervious.

13 . The method of claim 8 wherein the back sheet comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, nylon, and polyvinyl chloride, polylactic acid and blends of these materials.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the back sheet has disposed thereon an additional layer comprising a material selected from the group consisting of spun-bonded nonwoven web of synthetic fibers; a nonwoven web of cellulosic fibers, textile fibers, or a blend of cellulosic and textile fibers; a spun-bonded nonwoven web of synthetic fibers mixed with cellulosic, pulp fibers, or textile fibers; and melt blown thermoplastic fibers or mixtures of such thermoplastic fibers with cellulosic, pulp or textile fibers.

15 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the pattern is printed on the material comprising the decorative component using an offset printing process.

16 . A method of preparing a package of absorbent articles with varied decorative appearances, comprising:

providing a back sheet material to an assembly line;

providing a top sheet material;

providing an absorbent core at least partially between the back sheet material and the top sheet material; and

assembling a plurality of absorbent articles into a package of absorbent articles,

wherein the absorbent article further comprises at least one decorative component, the decorative component comprising at least one design disposed in at least one dimension of the decorative component, the design having a pattern length that is not substantially equal to the total length of the at least one dimension of the decorative component.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the at least one dimension of the decorative component comprises the longitudinal dimension.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the at least one dimension of the decorative component comprises the lateral dimension.

19 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the decorative component comprises the back sheet.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the back sheet comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, nylon, and polyvinyl chloride, polylactic acid and blends of these materials.

21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the back sheet has disposed thereon an additional layer comprising a material selected from the group consisting of spun-bonded nonwoven web of synthetic fibers; a nonwoven web of cellulosic fibers, textile fibers, or a blend of cellulosic and textile fibers; a spun-bonded nonwoven web of synthetic fibers mixed with cellulosic, pulp fibers, or textile fibers; and melt blown thermoplastic fibers or mixtures of such thermoplastic fibers with cellulosic, pulp or textile fibers.

22 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the design is printed on the decorative component using the offset printing process.