Absorbent articles including hipe foam imparted with color, and method of manufacture

A method for manufacturing an open cell foam structure comprising a polymerized continuous phase of a high internal phase water-in-oil emulsion (HIPE), the structure comprising a pigment, the method comprising the steps of:

• i) suspending dry pigment particles in a suspending medium to create a first suspension of the pigment particles;
• ii) providing an oil phase component blend, the blend comprising at least one monomer;
• iii) providing an aqueous phase component solution;
• iv) providing an initiator solution;
• v) blending the first suspension with the oil phase component blend to create a second suspension of the pigment particles in the oil phase component blend;
• vi) blending the second suspension with the aqueous phase component solution and the initiator solution in a water:oil ratio of at least 2.85:1, by volume, and sufficient mechanical energy and shear to create a water-in-oil HIPE having a continuous phase comprising the second suspension;
• and
• vii) polymerizing monomer components of the oil phase component blend to create an open cell foam structure.