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Japan holds adult diaper fashion show

by chowdawg | September 29, 2008 at 09:11 am

6355 views | 10 Recommendations | 7 comments

If you thought diapers were lame, embarrassing or not to be worn over your clothes, you would be wrong on all counts. On Friday Japan held a diaper fashion show, taking diapers out from under and bringing them out and over. The eighties dance tunes no doubt helped to dispel any lasing impression that diapers are only for the really young and the really old.

Japan has one of the world’s most rapidly aging societies, and the fashion show More than 20% of the population is over 65, and the country is forecast to have the globe’s largest number of centenarians—1 million—by 2050, the U.N. says.

“Diapers are something that people don’t want to look at,” said Kiyoko Hamada of the Aging Lifestyle Research Center, a leading organizer of the show. “But if you make them attractive, then people can learn about them more easily,” she said.

The Nikkei, Japan’s leading business newspaper, conducted a survey this week that showed sales of adult diapers have more than doubled over the past decade, reaching an estimated 52.5 billion yen this year.

This all means that there is a booming business for diapers and that companies are intent on ensuring that the diaper image is revamped a little.

While that’s good news for manufacturers, the fashion show Thursday showed there’s still a lot of uneasiness in Japan about this sometimes unseemly side of aging.

Like many events in Japan, the show was heavy on detailed information, showing how certain types of diapers suit the bedridden, such as models that can be wrapped around the midsection. Pants-like slip-on diapers, on the other hand, are more suitable for active oldsters.

“A lot of people make mistakes when choosing diapers,” said Hamada. “We can make it so people no longer feel uneasy about taking care of old people.”

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Yuliya Talmazan

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 11:07 on September 29th, 2008

chowdawg, I like this story. It's good stuff. I love the idea.

Jessie Reeder

at 13:39 on September 29th, 2008

This old man sailed to South America 40 years ago from Japan. He lives in the cloud forests of Bolivia, high up on a mountain in the Andes, and runs a shelter for hikers along the Inca trail. Most of the time at his house you can't see more than 20 yards in front of you, and you're a full day's walk from civilization. He keeps a log of everyone who visits and where they're from.... a global catalogue hidden in one of the world's remotest spots.

Jessie Reeder has contributed a photo to this story.

Jacco Fashion* (not verified)

at 09:16 on October 14th, 2008

You are right. There are now many clothes and websites that sell harajuku fashion and lolita fashion, but the spirit of this japanese style has arisen from teenagers not being afraid to customise and accessorise their own clothes, and to wear crazy outfits with a sense of humour to retaliate against social expectations of straight clothes, straight jobs, straight attitudes. Jacco Fashion*

adult diapers? (not verified)

at 13:24 on October 23rd, 2008

I think it will help to reduce the stigma associated with adult diapers. That event really got a lot of attention

rudyh (not verified)

at 17:47 on December 27th, 2008

They need to add some cute characters like Papmers have done in Japanhttp://japansugoi.com/wordpress/japanese-pampers-diaper-mascot-panpa/

adult diapers (not verified)

at 00:06 on May 26th, 2009

I am in my mid 20s and physically capable to walk. I like to wear adult diapers though so i dont have to get up in the middle of a tv program, game, or movie. Sometimes things get pretty heavy in the diaper. I also usually dont change them until the end of the day. I use public transportation alot and i get weird looks from people. Do you think they are giving me looks because they can tell i have a diaper on? Or do you think it is because i smell?

diapered for fun (not verified)

at 13:43 on August 2nd, 2009

to that last poster, its because of both. change that shit and stay clean hell someone without a choice to wear them has more sense then you. you shouldnt expose innocent people to your stench if you use those things then clean it up asap, be responsible