Method of making refastenable, pant-like disposable absorbent articles

Production of a refastenable, pant-like, disposable absorbent article (20) involves attaching a pair of opposed side panels (48) to the side edges (30) of an absorbent chassis (28) such that they extend laterally outward from and between the front (22) and back waist regions (24) of the article. A pant-like, refastenable, disposable absorbent article is produced by (a) providing a continuous web of interconnected absorbent chassis; (b) providing a pair of opposed side panels which define two side margins opposite to each other; (c) permanently attaching the first side margin to the side edge of each of the absorbent chassis in one of the front/back waist region; (d) selectively cutting the continuous web of interconnected absorbent chassis into discrete absorbent joint; (e) folding each of the discrete absorbent articles about a fold line extending in a lateral direction through a crotch region of the article thus positioning the waist regions in a facing relationship; and (f) refastenably attaching the second side margin of the side panels to the side edge of each of the absorbent chassis in the other waist region to provide a refastenable joint thus providing the pant-like, refastenable, disposable absorbent article.