Gauze swabs & non-woven dressings
Gauze swabs are the everyday workhorse of wound care — for cleaning wounds, applying solutions, padding and covering. MEC supplies non-woven gauze swabs in sterile and non-sterile packs, alongside low-adherent absorbent dressings such as Melolin, Mepore self-adhesive island dressings and antimicrobial drain and IV sponges.
How to choose gauze and non-woven dressings
| Product | Best suited to | At MEC |
|---|---|---|
| Sterile gauze swabs | Cleaning and dressing open wounds, and procedures that need a sterile field. Packed in small sterile packs. | Sentry sterile gauze swabs (4 and 8 ply), Multigate sterile non-woven swabs |
| Non-sterile gauze swabs | Skin cleansing, general cleaning, padding and covering intact skin. Bulk packs of 100. | Multigate non-woven 4 ply (5, 7.5 and 10 cm), Multisorb |
| Low-adherent absorbent dressing | Lightly exuding wounds, cuts and grazes. A perforated film faces the wound so the pad doesn't stick. | Melolin (5, 10 and 20 cm) |
| Self-adhesive island dressing | Surgical wounds, cuts and abrasions with low to moderate exudate — an absorbent pad with its own adhesive border. | Mepore |
| Antimicrobial drain and IV sponge | Sponge dressings containing PHMB antimicrobial, designed for drain tube and IV or catheter sites. | Kendall Excilon AMD |
Non-woven gauze is made from bonded synthetic or blended fibres rather than woven cotton. It sheds far fewer loose fibres into the wound and is generally more absorbent, which is why it is widely used in clinical settings. More plies mean a thicker, more absorbent swab. Use sterile swabs on open wounds, and keep non-sterile swabs for intact skin and general cleaning.
Gauze FAQs
What is the difference between woven and non-woven gauze?
Woven gauze is a loose cotton weave that can leave fibres in a wound. Non-woven gauze is made from pressed, bonded fibres, so it is softer, lower-linting and usually more absorbent for the same size.
Do I need sterile gauze?
Use sterile gauze for open wounds, surgical sites and anything that needs a sterile technique. Non-sterile gauze is fine for cleaning intact skin, padding and general care.
What does 4 ply or 8 ply mean?
Ply is the number of layers folded into each swab. An 8 ply swab is thicker and holds more fluid than a 4 ply swab of the same size.
For foam and antimicrobial dressings see foam dressings and antimicrobial dressings. Ordering in bulk? Contact our team for volume pricing.