Absorption rates and Rothwell in continence care
A nuanced look at Rothwell testing in a 360 degree view of continence care.
When it comes to incontinence products, absorption is of utmost importance. ISO11948-1, also known as Rothwell, is the universal standard for measuring theoretical absorption capacity.
But quality isn’t just about absorption, and ABENA’s stance is clear: Rothwell is just one piece of the puzzle, and not the entire picture.
What is Rothwell and why is it important?
Rothwell ISO 11948-1 is a universal standard for measuring total absorption capacity. It measures the theoretical absorption capacity of the absorbing material in the entire urine-absorbing pad.
It is the only ISO standard for measuring the quality of absorbing products such as incontinence products. As such, Rothwell testing is especially useful for comparing the performance of products between different suppliers. It is also favored by tender boards.
Theoretical vs. practical absorption
Rothwell is a theoretical absorption rate that represents absorption rate in a laboratory environment under optimal conditions. It does not represent practical absorption. The method overestimates the amount of urine a products can hold in actual use. This is because in the Rothwell methods all materials – not only the core – absorbs liquid.
As a rule of thumb, if the practical absorption of incontinence products is needed, indication is 1/3 of the ISO Rothwell value. Other factors such as composition of the core, size of the product, type of incontinence, pressure on the products and posture of the users can affect the practical absorption.
Why and how does ABENA use Rothwell?
As a universal ISO standard and a third party certification, ABENA supports the use of Rothwell as an important part of the overall quality assessment of incontinence products
We also believe that the user experience of an incontinence product’s performance is affected by many other factors in addition to absorption capacity. The Rothwell method does not differentiate the many product features that provide optimal user performance.
Rothwell is a great way to compare product performance when it comes to absorption, but should not be seen as the only universal assessment of quality.
Third-party certifications - your guarantee for quality
All ABENA incontinence products are tested by 3rd party laboratories to get an official Rothwell absorption, which can be used as documentation in tenders where certain values are required.
Additionally we have 3rd party and in-house performance tests showing re-wet and absorption speed. This is recommended instead of local desktop tests.
People-focused quality. Of course!
The best life with incontinence takes a holistic approach.
The total quality of an incontinence product is largely determined by the user’s total experience . Choosing the right incontinence product for a user cannot be determined solely on Rothwell. Factors such as level of mobility, mental state, body shape, and incontinence type need to be factored in when choosing the right product type and absorption need.
We guarantee quality based on a combination of innovative features, laboratory testing, and third-party standards – combined with user experiences.
Our unique assortment never compromises on quality or leakage protection. Thanks to a unique high performance core, the surface stays dry even after multiple voids, providing optimum skin balance. A combination of a unique core construction, flexible elastics and leakage barriers (both visible and invisible) provides a 360 degree leakage protection for the users.
A wetness indicator with graduation scale on the back of the product, is an important professional tool for caregivers to choose the right product for the user’s needs. Our philosophy is always that an incontinence product must be “as small as possible, as large as necessary”.
The user-experience is also highly influenced by the overall comfort and fit of the product, and it is crucial that the product is pleasant, soft and discreet to wear. The shape and a snug fit is significant, as it ensures that the product is discreet and secure and, therefore, a selection of our Abena Slip products have built-in flexible side panels. These support the shape as the elastics will ensure a tight and snug fit and ensure that the product follows your body curves. We will further introduce built-in flexible side panels on a wide selection of all-in-one briefs during 2021.
