Absorbent article

An absorbent article characterized by comprising:

• a. a longitudinal direction, a transverse direction, and a depth direction;
• b. a longitudinal direction axis and a transverse direction axis;
• c. a first transverse direction end edge and a second transverse direction end edge;
• d. an opposing pair of longitudinal direction side edges extending between and connecting the first transverse direction end edge and the second transverse direction end edge;
• e. a topsheet layer comprising:
• i. a central layer extending in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent article and symmetrically straddling the longitudinal direction axis, the central layer having a first longitudinal direction side edge and a second longitudinal direction side edge;
• ii. a first side layer comprising:
• 1. A first non-folded portion;
• 2. a first folded portion;
• and
• 3. A first inner edge;
• 4. wherein the first side layer is in an overlapping configuration with the central layer such that the first inner edge of the first side layer is positioned closer in the transverse direction to the longitudinal centerline than the first longitudinal direction side edge of the central layer and wherein the first side layer does not have a separate elastic material;
• 5. Wherein the first side layer comprises a first material comprised of one or more layers and wherein the first folded portion of the first side layer comprises a first fold of the first side layer such that the folded portion of the first side layer comprises at least three layers of the first material forming the first side layer in an overlapping configuration;
• and
• iii. a second side layer comprising:
• 1. A second non-folded portion;
• 2. a second folded portion;
• and
• 3. A second inner edge;
• 4. wherein the second side layer is in an overlapping configuration with the central layer such that the second inner edge of the second side layer is positioned closer in the transverse direction to the longitudinal centerline than the second longitudinal direction side edge of the central layer and wherein the second side layer does not have a separate elastic material;
• 5. Wherein the second side layer comprises a second material having one or more layers and wherein the second folded portion of the second side layer comprises a first fold of the second folded portion such that the folded portion of the second side layer comprises at least three layers of the second material forming the second side layer in an overlapping configuration;
• and
• f. a backsheet layer;
• and
• g. an absorbent core positioned between the topsheet layer and the backsheet layer and having a first longitudinal direction side edge positioned below the first folded portion of the first side layer and a second longitudinal direction side edge positioned below the second folded portion of the second side layer.