Cotton vs. Pledget — What's the Difference?
By Maham Liaqat & Urooj Arif — Updated on May 4, 2024
Cotton is a natural fiber used in textiles, while a pledget is a small, absorbent ball or pad, often made of cotton, used for medical purposes.
Difference Between Cotton and Pledget
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Cotton, a versatile and widely used natural fiber, is harvested from the cotton plant and is fundamental in the textile industry for making everything from clothing to bedding, whereas a pledget refers specifically to a small medical pad or swab made from cotton or synthetic materials, used primarily for applying medication or for cleansing wounds.
While cotton can be woven into fabrics of varying textures and weights, used in a multitude of products, pledgets are designed for single use, focusing on hygiene and absorption in medical settings.
Cotton's properties such as breathability, absorbency, and softness make it suitable for a wide range of uses including apparel and home textiles, on the other hand, pledgets are optimized for medical efficacy, often being pre-treated with antiseptics or other solutions.
In terms of production, cotton undergoes various processes like ginning, spinning, and weaving to transform it into fabric, while pledgets are typically produced in sterile conditions and are often packaged individually to maintain cleanliness.
Cotton fabric is a staple in consumer goods and can be found in retail stores worldwide, contrasting with pledgets, which are primarily distributed through medical supply channels and used in healthcare environments.
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Comparison Chart
Material Source
Natural fiber from cotton plant
Made from cotton or synthetic fibers
Primary Use
Textile production for various uses
Medical applications for cleansing or applying medication
Texture and Form
Woven into various textures
Small, often round or rectangular pads
Production Process
Involves ginning, spinning, weaving
Produced under sterile conditions
Distribution Channels
Retail, consumer markets
Medical supply, healthcare settings
Compare with Definitions
Cotton
The primary material for a broad range of clothing items.
Cotton t-shirts are popular for their breathability and comfort.
Pledget
Often made of cotton or a synthetic blend, designed for single use.
Disposable pledgets ensure hygiene in medical treatments.
Cotton
Cultivated extensively worldwide, significant for its economic impact.
Cotton farming is a major industry in several countries.
Pledget
A small absorbent pad used in medical settings for application of medications.
The nurse used a pledget soaked in iodine to prep the skin for surgery.
Cotton
Used in home furnishings like towels and bedding.
She preferred cotton towels because they absorb moisture well.
Pledget
Packaged sterilely to prevent contamination.
Each pledget is individually packaged to maintain sterility.
Cotton
Can be organically grown, offering an eco-friendly textile option.
Organic cotton is favored by environmentally conscious consumers.
Pledget
Used in wound care and surgical procedures for absorbing fluids.
Pledgets are essential for controlling bleeding in minor surgical tasks.
Cotton
A natural fiber obtained from the cotton plant, used widely in textile manufacturing.
The cotton sheets were praised for their softness.
Pledget
Specific to medical use, not typically available in consumer markets.
Pledgets are ordered in bulk by hospitals and clinics.
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus Gossypium in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure cellulose.
Pledget
A small flat absorbent pad used to medicate, protect, or absorb drainage from a wound or sore.
Cotton
Any of various shrubby plants of the genus Gossypium, having showy flowers and grown for the soft white downy fibers surrounding oil-rich seeds.
Pledget
(medicine) A small flat absorbent pad of cotton or wool, used to medicate, drain, or protect a wound or sore.
Cotton
The fiber of any of these plants, used in making textiles and other products.
Pledget
A string of oakum used in calking.
Cotton
Thread or cloth manufactured from the fiber of these plants.
Pledget
To apply a pledget to.
Cotton
Any of various soft downy substances produced by other plants, as on the seeds of a cottonwood.
Pledget
A small plug.
Cotton
To take a liking; attempt to be friendly
A dog that didn't cotton to strangers.
An administration that will cotton up to the most repressive of regimes.
Pledget
A string of oakum used in calking.
Cotton
To come to understand. Often used with to or onto
"The German bosses ... never cottoned to such changes" (N.R. Kleinfield).
Pledget
A compress, or small flat tent of lint, laid over a wound, ulcer, or the like, to exclude air, retain dressings, or absorb the matter discharged.
Cotton
Gossypium, a genus of plant used as a source of cotton fiber.
Cotton
Any plant that encases its seed in a thin fiber that is harvested and used as a fabric or cloth.
Cotton
Any fiber similar in appearance and use to Gossypium fiber.
Cotton
(textiles) The textile made from the fiber harvested from a cotton plant, especially Gossypium.
Cotton
(countable) An item of clothing made from cotton.
Cotton
Made of cotton.
Cotton
(transitive) To provide with cotton.
Cotton
To supply with a cotton wick.
Cotton
To fill with a wad of cotton.
Cotton
(horticulture) To wrap with a protective layer of cotton fabric.
Cotton
To cover walls with fabric.
Cotton
(tar and cotton) To cover with cotton bolls over a layer of tar (analogous to tar and feather )
Cotton
To make or become cotton-like
Cotton
To raise a nap, providing with a soft, cottony texture.
Cotton
To develop a porous, cottony texture.
Cotton
To give the appearance of being dotted with cotton balls.
Cotton
To enshroud with a layer of whiteness.
Cotton
To protect from harsh stimuli, coddle, or muffle.
Cotton
To rub or burnish with cotton.
Cotton
To get on with someone or something; to have a good relationship with someone.
Cotton
A soft, downy substance, resembling fine wool, consisting of the unicellular twisted hairs which grow on the seeds of the cotton plant. Long-staple cotton has a fiber sometimes almost two inches long; short-staple, from two thirds of an inch to an inch and a half.
Cotton
The cotton plant. See Cotten plant, below.
Cotton
Cloth made of cotton.
Cotton
To rise with a regular nap, as cloth does.
It cottons well; it can not choose but bearA pretty nap.
Cotton
To go on prosperously; to succeed.
New, Hephestion, does not this matter cotton as I would?
Cotton
To unite; to agree; to make friends; - usually followed by with.
A quarrel will end in one of you being turned off, in which case it will not be easy to cotton with another.
Didst see, Frank, how the old goldsmith cottoned in with his beggarly companion?
Cotton
To take a liking to; to stick to one as cotton; - used with to.
Cotton
Silky fibers from cotton plants in their raw state
Cotton
Fabric woven from cotton fibers
Cotton
Erect bushy mallow plant or small tree bearing bolls containing seeds with many long hairy fibers
Cotton
Thread made of cotton fibers
Cotton
Take a liking to;
Cotton to something
Common Curiosities
What is cotton?
Cotton is a natural fiber harvested from the cotton plant, widely used in the textile industry for making fabrics.
Are pledgets reusable?
Pledgets are generally designed for single use to ensure hygiene and prevent contamination in medical settings.
What are the environmental impacts of cotton production?
Cotton production can be water-intensive and may involve pesticides, though organic options are available.
Where can I buy pledgets?
Pledgets can be purchased through medical supply companies or pharmacies.
What is a pledget?
A pledget is a small medical pad or swab, used for applying medication or cleansing wounds.
Where can I buy cotton products?
Cotton products are widely available in clothing stores, home goods stores, and online retailers.
Can cotton be used in medical applications?
Yes, cotton is often used in medical applications, including making pledgets and other medical supplies.
How are pledgets kept sterile?
Pledgets are sterilized during production and are usually individually packaged to maintain sterility until use.
Can pledgets be made from materials other than cotton?
Yes, pledgets can also be made from synthetic fibers, depending on the intended medical use.
What are the advantages of using cotton in textiles?
Cotton is favored for its softness, breathability, and natural absorbency, making it suitable for a wide range of textile products.
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Written by
Maham Liaqat
Co-written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
