Product category
ZigZag Cotton
ZigZag cotton is bleached absorbent cotton pleated into a continuous folded strip rather than rolled, so a length can be pulled out and torn off without the pack collapsing.
- ISO 13485
- CE
- FDA
- OEM
Need a size or packing that is not listed?
Most items are made to order — send the specification and we will quote against it.
Buying guide
ZigZag cotton is bleached absorbent cotton pleated into a continuous folded strip rather than rolled, so a length can be pulled out and torn off without the pack collapsing. Rich Medical supplies ten pack weights from 5 g to 1,000 g — the format most European and Commonwealth markets call cotton wool.
Why pleated rather than rolled
A pleated pack lets the user draw out a length one fold at a time, keeping the remainder clean and dry. That suits clinics where cotton is used in small amounts many times a day, and it suits retail packs where the customer wants a tidy, resealable presentation. Rolls are cheaper to wind but are awkward to use one-handed.
The ten pack weights and their buyers
5 g, 10 g and 20 g packs are retail and first aid sizes; 25 g and 50 g are pharmacy and clinic sizes; 100 g and 200 g are dressing-trolley stock; 250 g, 500 g and 1,000 g are bulk for hospitals and kit packers. The 500 g pack is the most common single item in a mixed export order because it satisfies both clinic and retail demand at a sensible carton count.
Carton counts by weight
Packs of 5 g to 100 g ship 100 to a carton; 200 g ships 60; 250 g ships 40; 500 g ships 10; 1,000 g ships 5. The carton cube changes more than the count: the 1,000 g carton is only 580×510×180 mm because the packs lie flat, while the 100 g carton is 490×470×560 mm. This is worth checking before you quote a landed cost per kilogram.
Labelling and language
ZigZag packs are usually printed in the destination language, and in the EU the pack also needs the manufacturer address, the CE mark where applicable, the batch and the sterilisation state. We prepare artwork proofs for approval and hold the printing plates for repeat orders so reprints stay consistent.
Quality checks on a pleated pack
Pleating hides defects that are obvious on a flat roll, so each batch is checked for continuous length, even thickness and the absence of unopened or doubled folds. Absorbency and whiteness are certified in the batch analysis. Samples of three weights are enough for most buyers to judge the pleat and the loft.
Related linesCotton Roll · Cotton Ball · Sterile Eye Pads