Over the adjoining few decades, the disposable diaper commerce boomed and the antagonism between Procter & Gamble's Pampers and Kimberly Clark's Huggies resulted in lower prices and drastic changes to diaper design. Indefinite improvements were made, such as the introduction of refastenable tapes, the "hourglass shape" so as to Adult Diaper reduce bulk at the crotch area, and the creativeness of super-absorbent material from polymers confessed as sodium polyacrylate.

Diapers are primarily worn by children who are not yet potty trained or suffer from bedwetting. These can include the elderly, those with a palpable or mental disability, and people working in extreme conditions such as astronauts. Diapers are usually worn out of necessity rather than choice, although there are exceptions; people such as infantilists and diaper fetishists wear diapers recreationally for comfort, emotional fulfillment, or sexual gratification.