Until recently, products on offer consisted of gauze, cotton wool and bandages. The main component in these traditional products was primarily cotton. However, the development of synthetic and semi-synthetic fibres and improvements in technology has led to a huge increase in the number of products available. This diversification has been stimulated in part by a practical demand for more specific and higher quality products.
In addition, it is in the commercial interest of the bandaging industry to manipulate this lack of transparency on the market. Manufacturers market their products under a trade name, emphasising certain characteristics which are echoed in fantasy product names. The lack of a clear product naming system makes the range of materials on offer appear more extensive than it actually is. It is impossible to provide an overview of all available products, and the information in this section will therefore be limited to those materials relevant to the bandages described. Trade names will be avoided as much as possible.