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Here is a list of what goes into making the typical disposable. Most disposable diapers are made with these components. Some materials may or may not be present in your brand.

1) Polyethylene Film: This is used as back-sheet, and it helps to stop the liquids from leaking out of the diaper. The back-sheet can also be made to look as a cloth back-sheet by adding a polypropylene non-woven to the film using hot melts.
2) Tissue: This is used to help the manufacturing process, as a carrier for the pad. It comes from the Kraft paper process.
3) Hot Melts: They are used to glue the different components of the diaper, such as the pad and the elastics. They are made of a mixture of resins, oils and tackifiers.
4) Hydrophobic Non-woven: It is used as a top sheet for the leg cuffs, it will not allow water to pass trough. It is made of polypropylene without any treatment.
5) Hydrophilic Non-woven: It is the main top sheet in contact with the baby skin, it allows the liquids to flow into the diaper core. The difference between the two non-wovens is the surfactant treatment used in the process.
6) Elastics: Used to improve the fit of the diaper, usually made of polyurethane foam, rubber or lycras. They are used in the waist and also for the legs.
7) Lateral Tapes: These are used to hold the diaper in place once it is on the baby, they are made of polypropylene and hot melt. They can also be made of cloth-like material based also on polypropylene.
8) Frontal Tape: It is used to allow for multiple repositions of the lateral tape without tearing the back-sheet, it is made of polypropylene film and attached to the front of the diaper with adhesive. Its use has helped to reduce the thickness of the poly film without the risk of potential tears associated with the lateral tapes.
9) Cellulose: Used for the construction of the pad, it gives integrity and absorbing capacity to the diaper. It comes from pine trees. Liquids are absorbed due to the capillaries in the void spaces between the fibers, and the surface tension angle between the fiber and the water.