US Patent 7086095 Boxer-style absorbent underpant and method of making same

A method of making a pant having side seams and side-to-side crotch seams from a flat web. The method can be carried out in either the cross-machine direction or in the machine direction. The method includes providing a z-slit in selected areas along the flat web and folding the resulting flaps back onto the flat web. In the cross-machine direction process, the flat web is folded, side seams and crotch seams are formed and individual pants are cut. In the machine direction process, the flat web is cut into individual garment shells, which are folded, and side seams and crotch seams are formed. In either the cross-machine process or the machine process, the method can also include attaching an absorbent structure to the flat web.