From the top down, a pad is a topsheet, usually an acquisition or distribution layer, an absorbent core, and a backsheet. Wings, adhesive and release paper complete it. Every one of those is a separate material decision with its own cost.

The topsheet is what the end user actually feels and therefore what they judge. A perforated non-woven and a soft cotton cover behave differently in dryness and in touch, and they photograph differently on packaging. This is settled by sample, not by description.

The core is where the performance is. It is a blend of fluff pulp and superabsorbent polymer, and the ratio between them sets both absorbency and thickness. More SAP means more capacity in less bulk and more cost per pad.

The backsheet is a polyethylene film, sometimes breathable. It is the cheapest layer to downgrade and one of the more noticeable, because a stiff or noisy backsheet is something users mention.

When you read a quotation, read it as five prices rather than one. A cheaper quotation is always cheaper somewhere specific, and knowing where lets you decide whether that particular saving is one your market will accept.