1. A method for designing an absorbent article, the method comprising: generating a physical spatial map of saturation of a fluid within an absorbent in a physical test environment; generating a virtual spatial map of saturation of a fluid within an absorbent in a virtual test environment; identifying absorbent-fluid interaction properties for the absorbent such that the virtual spatial map of saturation approximates the physical spatial map of saturation; inputting the absorbent-fluid interaction properties for the absorbent into a virtual model of the absorbent article to produce a representation of at least one feature of the absorbent article; evaluating the virtual model of the absorbent article to determine the performance of the at least one feature of the absorbent article; and modifying the design of the absorbent article in response to the performance of the at least one feature of the absorbent article determined from the virtual model of the absorbent article.