Woven gauze
Traditional woven cotton gauze has been the workhorse of wound care for over a century. The interlocking thread structure provides high mechanical strength but can leave fibers in the wound bed — a real concern for healing tissue.
Best for: external cleaning, padding, and packing of irregular cavities. Avoid direct contact with granulating tissue.
Non-woven gauze
Non-woven sponges (sometimes branded as 'all-purpose pads') use bonded synthetic and cotton fibers. They are more absorbent than woven gauze, lint-free, and softer on healing tissue.
Best for: primary contact with open wounds, post-surgical dressings, and any application near granulating tissue.
Sterile vs. non-sterile (clean)
Sterile gauze is individually packaged, processed to eliminate all viable microorganisms, and required for any contact with open wounds, surgical sites, or sterile fields.
Non-sterile (clean) gauze ships in bulk packs and is appropriate for: external cleaning of intact skin, padding casts and splints, and anywhere it won't contact a wound bed.
Sizing and ply
Standard sizes: 2x2, 3x3, 4x4. Ply ranges from 4-ply (light absorbency) to 16-ply (heavy drainage). Match ply to expected exudate — over-engineering wastes money, under-engineering risks strikethrough and infection.