Sanitary napkin with soft, pliable sides and relatively stiff ends

A method of making a sanitary napkin comprising the steps of:

• providing a continuous length of a cover layer having a first width;
• providing a continuous length of an absorbent layer having a second width, less than the first width;
• superposing the absorbent layer on one surface of the cover layer, spaced inward from one side edge of the cover layer;
• laminating the absorbent layer to the cover layer to form an absorbent laminate;
• laminating a barrier layer to the absorbent laminate to form a laminated web, wherein the absorbent layer is positioned between the cover layer and the barrier layer and the barrier layer has a width substantially corresponding to the first width;
• and cutting the laminated web;
• thereby forming a sanitary napkin having a perimeter with lateral sides and longitudinal ends;
• wherein the ratio of the bending force of the longitudinal ends to the lateral sides is about 1.1:1 to about 100:1.