History

The history of Lifree dates to 1987, when Unicharm launched the brand as a disposable adult diaper line in Japan. Unicharm subsequently expanded the range into various adult incontinence product forms, including pads and pants-type diapers.

Key milestones in the brand’s development include:

• 1987: Unicharm launched Lifree disposable adult diapers.
• 1988: Lifree incontinence pads were introduced.
• 1995: Lifree Rehabili-Pants, a pants-type adult diaper, was launched.
• 1996: Lifree tape-type diapers were introduced.
• 1999: Lifree expanded into products for light incontinence.
• 2007: Unicharm introduced Lifree products aimed at active seniors.
• 2008: Lifree entered the Indonesian market through PT Uni-Charm Indonesia.

In the Indonesian context, Lifree represents a relatively early entry into the emerging adult-care and elderly-care market. PT Uni-Charm Indonesia identifies 2008 as the inception of its Wellness Care business with the launch of Lifree adult diapers.

Lifree is not an independent company but rather a brand within Unicharm’s portfolio.

Unicharm began as a manufacturer of feminine-care products before expanding into baby care, healthcare, household products, and pet care. The company states that technologies originally developed around nonwoven fabrics and absorbent materials became a critical foundation for its expansion into adult incontinence care.

This technical background is relevant to Lifree because adult diapers rely heavily on technologies involving:

• absorbent materials;
• nonwoven fabrics;
• liquid distribution;
• leakage prevention;
• skin-contact materials;
• breathable materials; and
• ergonomic diaper construction.

Unicharm positions Lifree within its broader Wellness Care business, alongside brands such as Certainty and CharmNap [1].

Lifree products are primarily intended to address urinary incontinence, with specific offerings corresponding to different levels of mobility and care requirements.

The Indonesian range currently includes several major categories [2].

Pants-type adult diapers

These products resemble underwear and are intended for individuals who can stand or walk, including users capable of putting on or changing the product themselves.

The Lifree Pants Tipis & Nyaman is positioned as a relatively thin product designed to feel similar to underwear. It has a stated absorption capacity of up to three “glasses” and is available in M, L, XL, and XXL sizes [3].

The product emphasizes:

• underwear-like fit;
• elastic material around the body;
• high side protection;
• breathable construction;
• soft, cloth-like materials; and
• easy side tearing for removal.

For users requiring greater absorption, Lifree Pants Ekstra Serap provides a stated six-glass absorption capacity and is designed for both daytime and nighttime use. Lifree positions this product particularly for people who can stand or walk with assistance [4].

Adhesive/tape-type diapers

The Lifree Perekat is designed for users who are primarily bedridden or require assistance with changing.

Unlike pants-type products, it uses adjustable adhesive tabs, allowing a caregiver to open and refasten the diaper. Lifree Indonesia describes it as having six-glass absorption capacity and leakage protection for up to 12 hours [5].

Its advertised features include:

• breathable materials;
• high absorbency;
• leakage protection;
• antibacterial properties;
• repeatedly adjustable adhesive tabs; and
• positioning guidance to help caregivers fit the diaper correctly.

Absorbent pads

Lifree also sells Lifree Pad Penghemat Popok & Pants, an insert pad intended to be used together with adult diapers or pants.

It has a stated absorption capacity of up to three glasses and is designed to provide additional absorbency without necessarily replacing the entire diaper. The product uses side protection and a “magic tape” feature intended to help prevent movement [6].

This makes the pad particularly relevant from a cost and changing-efficiency perspective: a caregiver can potentially replace only the absorbent insert rather than the entire outer diaper, depending on the circumstances.

Sirih-leaf adhesive diaper

The Indonesian range also includes Lifree Popok Perekat Daun Sirih.

This product combines the adhesive diaper format with an extract of daun sirih (betel leaf). Lifree markets the product around absorption and reduction of unpleasant urine odor, alongside leakage protection and antibacterial properties.

A notable characteristic of Lifree is that it does not treat “adult diapers” as a single monolithic product category. Instead, its Indonesian website segments users according to mobility and caregiving requirements:

Independent walking → assisted standing/walking → bedridden

This approach reflects a broader shift in adult incontinence care from simply selling “diapers” toward providing care solutions matched to the user’s physical condition. Lifree explicitly provides a product-selection system based on the user’s circumstances.

Lifree’s positioning extends beyond preventing urine leakage. Unicharm describes its purpose as improving quality of life and allowing elderly people to live with confidence. In Indonesia, the company describes Lifree and its other Wellness Care brands as providing freedom, dignity, and comfort in dealing with urinary elimination [7].

This distinction is significant because incontinence affects more than physical hygiene. Adult-care products can influence:

• confidence;
• mobility;
• sleep;
• social participation;
• caregiver workload;
• personal dignity; and
• willingness to remain active.

Consequently, Lifree’s product communication tends to emphasize “living normally” rather than portraying the user solely as a patient.

Lifree products rely heavily on the general technological strengths Unicharm developed in absorbent personal-care products. Key product themes include:

Absorption

Products are designed to rapidly absorb urine and retain it within the absorbent core. Lifree uses different absorption capacities depending on the intended product and user condition.

Leakage Prevention

Higher side barriers and other structural features are used to reduce leakage, particularly when the wearer changes position or moves.

Breathability

Several Lifree products emphasize breathable materials and air circulation. This is particularly important because prolonged exposure to moisture can make adult diaper use uncomfortable.

Skin Comfort

Soft, cloth-like materials and moisture management are repeatedly emphasized in Lifree’s product descriptions.

Ease of Changing

For independent users, pants-type products can be put on similarly to underwear. For caregivers, adhesive diapers provide adjustable fastening and easier access during changes.

Lifree has become one of PT Uni-Charm Indonesia’s important brands in the Wellness Care category.

PT Uni-Charm Indonesia was established in 1997 as a joint venture involving Unicharm Corporation and PT Purinusa Eka Persada. The company subsequently launched Charm in 1998, MamyPoko in 2000, and Lifree in 2008.

The company’s 2023 annual report stated that Lifree had a 36.3% share of Indonesia’s retail healthcare market in 2023, indicating that the brand had established a substantial position in the country’s adult incontinence market.

More recent reporting continues to classify Lifree as a major Wellness Care brand, with the segment focused on quality of life, comfort, hygiene, and appropriate care for elderly people and people with special needs.

The brand structure can be summarized as follows:

Unicharm Corporation (Japan)
↓
Lifree — global adult incontinence-care brand
↓
PT Uni-Charm Indonesia Tbk
↓
Lifree Indonesia — products adapted and marketed for the Indonesian market

PT Uni-Charm Indonesia states it has manufacturing facilities in Karawang and Mojokerto and distributes products throughout Indonesia as well as exporting them overseas [8].

Lifree’s principal consumers can be divided into several groups:

1. Older Adults
People experiencing age-related urinary incontinence who want to remain active and independent.

2. People with Urinary Incontinence
This includes individuals experiencing mild through more significant forms of incontinence.

3. Nursing-Care Patients
People who require assistance with toileting or are unable to use a conventional toilet independently.

4. Caregivers and Family Members
Children, spouses, professional caregivers, and other people responsible for changing and caring for an adult.

5. Healthcare and Institutional Users
Adult incontinence products can also be used in hospitals and other care settings; Unicharm Indonesia has described Lifree products as serving both retail and hospital markets [9].

At a conceptual level, Lifree can be understood through four major values:

• Freedom: Helping people continue daily activities despite incontinence.
• Dignity: Reducing the stigma and embarrassment associated with needing adult diapers.
• Comfort: Making prolonged use less intrusive through fit, absorbency, and breathable materials.
• Care: Supporting both the wearer and the person providing care.

This positioning fits Unicharm’s broader philosophy of developing products that support people’s everyday lives rather than merely solving a technical problem [10].

Lifree operates more like a continence-care system than a single adult-diaper product. Its portfolio covers different stages of need:

Light incontinence → higher-absorbency pants → assisted-care pants → bed-care adhesive diapers → supplemental pads

The objective is not simply maximum absorbency. The product is selected according to how much the person leaks, how mobile they are, whether they can change the product themselves, and whether a caregiver is involved. Lifree’s Indonesian product-selection materials explicitly organize its products around these circumstances.

Lifree is significant within Unicharm because adult incontinence is part of the company’s long-term transition from traditional personal-care products toward life-support and wellness-care products.

Unicharm describes its historical development as a progression from feminine-care products into baby care, healthcare, and other areas supporting people’s lives. Lifree is one of the clearest examples of this strategy because it addresses the needs of an aging population and the growing demand for professional and family caregiving.

In Indonesia specifically, Lifree’s launch in 2008 marked the beginning of PT Uni-Charm Indonesia’s Wellness Care business, and the company has continued to expand its adult-care portfolio around different levels of incontinence and mobility.

1. Rangkaian Produk | Infomasi Produk | Lifree Indonesia – Unicharm-Lifree Indonesia
2. Lifree Pants Tipis & Nyaman, Seperti Celana Dalam | Rangkaian Produk | Infomasi Produk | Unicharm-Lifree Indonesia
3. Lifree Pants Ekstra Serap Mudah Dipakai | Rangkaian Produk | Infomasi Produk | Unicharm-Lifree Indonesia
4. Lifree Popok Perekat, Cegah Bocor, Tahan Lama | Rangkaian Produk | Infomasi Produk | Unicharm-Lifree Indonesia
5. Lifree Pad Penghemat Popok & Pants | Rangkaian Produk | Infomasi Produk | Unicharm-Lifree Indonesia
6. Lifree Perekat Daun Sirih – Popok Dewasa, Popok Perekat, Indonesia-Lifree Indonesia
7. Lifree Adult Incontinence Care – Pants Diaper, Tape Diaper, Insert Pad, Light Incontinence-Lifree Indonesia
8. History & Background of Lifree | Lifree India
9. Lifree
10. Our Brands-Unicharm Company Information