Table Of Contents

1. What is a triangle bandage?

o What is a cravat bandage?
2. What are triangular bandages used for?
3. How big is a triangular bandage?
4. What are the parts of a triangle bandage?
5. The three folds of a triangle bandage
6. How to fold a triangle bandage for storage
7. How strong is a triangular bandage?
8. Where to get a triangle bandage?
9. How to make (DIY) a triangular bandage?
10. How to make an arm sling (2 methods)
o Method 1
o Method 2
o How to tie a square knot.

What is a triangle bandage?

The triangular bandage is a triangular piece of cloth that has
two equal sides (an isosceles triangle). Store-bought ones are
typically made of muslin cloth or cotton but any thin cloth
should work fine. Muslin cloth is made with very thin cotton
yarn and is loosely woven. This makes it lightweight,
breathable, soft and has a little flexibility. A thinner cloth is
better so that it’s more easily folded up and stored, but it does
have to be strong enough to perform as needed. They also
often include a couple of safety pins to help keep the bandage
in place when in use.

What is a cravat bandage?

The term “cravat” is often used interchangeably with triangle bandage, often meaning
the same thing. This term was formerly commonly used in the US Military, but not so
much today.
What are triangular bandages used for?
Triangle bandages have four primary uses in first aid:

1. Sling. This is probably the most common way that we see a triangle bandage being
used. It can quickly be wrapped around and arm and tied behind the neck to
immobilize the limb.
2. Bandaging of wounds. When folded correctly, a triangle bandage can be used to
bandage a wound. It’s large enough to wrap around a person’s head or thigh
easily and even around some people’s abdomen. They can be used as the entire
bandage or to hold a dressing in place to maintain compression.
3. Immobilization. They can be used similar to an elastic bandage to wrap a joint and
provide support. They can also be used to help create a make-shift splints.
4. Improvisation. Part of a triangular bandage’s usefulness comes from its wide
variety of uses. You might use it to improvise a tourniquet, a trauma pad, for
protection against the sun, a towel, or anything else you can come up with.

How big is a triangular bandage?

The most common size for a triangle bandage is 40″ x 40″ x 56″
(100cm x 100cm x 142 cm). Sizes can vary slightly by a few
inches but are generally the same size. In its packaging, the
bandage can fold down to pocket size; somewhere around 3.5 ″
x 4″.

What are the parts of a triangle bandage?

To make it easier to explain how to use a triangle bandage, it’s
good to identify the parts of the bandage. The three parts of a
triangle bandage are the base, the apex (or point), and the
ends.
The three folds of a triangle bandage
Another useful way to describe how to use a triangle bandage
is to understand the common ways it can be folded.

The first fold is simply folding the apex down to the center of
the base.

A broad fold, or broad fold bandage, is made by folding the

point down to the center of the base, then folding the new
edge down to the base. One additional fold to the first fold.

A narrow fold, or narrow fold bandage, is a broad fold that has

been folded once more towards the base. Two additional folds
to the first fold.
How to fold a triangle bandage for storage
To make the bandage easy to store, follow these steps.

1. First, fold the bandage into a narrow fold bandage.

2. Take either end of the bandage and fold them towards the
middle.
3. Again, fold the two ends towards the middle. Do this until it
is sized to suit your storage needs.
4. Make sure to store in a dry sterile container while not in use.
 How strong is a triangular bandage?
I didn’t want to push it to the max, but I was curious. I was
able to lift a 35-pound kettlebell in it without any signs of
tearing. Given the size of a trangular bandage, I don’t think you
would ever put anything in it that’s heavier than that.
Where to get a triangle bandage?
You’re likely able to find a triangle bandage at any of your
typical corner drug stores as well as your common big box
stores. They are also available from your favorite online
retailer. They can range in price from less than a dollar for one
to over $25 for special types or when button bulk. Below are
three options you can buy on Amazon.
 Ever Ready First Aid Triangular Bandage, 40″ x 40″ x 56″, 12-Piece-Non-Woven-Cotton-Triangular-
Bandages

Ever Ready First Aid Triangular Bandage, 40″ x 40″ x 56″, 12-
Piece

Honeywell North by Honeywell 020374 Triangular Bandage, Non-Sterile, Unbleached, 1 per unit

Triangular Bandage, Non-Sterile, Unbleached, 1 per unit

NAR Triangular Bandage W/ 2 PINS – OD Green

NAR Triangular Bandage W/ 2 PINS – OD Green

How to make (DIY) a triangular bandage?

It’s easy to find packages of multiple bandages so that you can
buy cheaply in bulk, but you may want to create your own,
especially if you have an old bed sheet lying around.

1. Get some fabric. A cotton sheet or maybe a table cloth is

your best bet. Clothing will be too small. This table will show
you how many bandages you can make from each size bed
sheet. Sheet sizes vary based on the sheet manufacturer, so
these are approximate. We recommend the 40″ size cravat.
Bed Type Flat Sheet Size No. of Bandages

Twin 70″ x 100″ +/- 4 at 40″ x 40″ x 56″

 Full 84″ x 100″ +/- 8 at 40″ x 40″ x 56″

Queen 92″ x 108″ +/- 8 at 40″ x 40″ x 56″

King 110″ x 114″ +/- 8 at 40″ x 40″ x 56″ OR 18 at 36″ x 36″ x 51″

1. Cut it down. Next, you’ll want to cut the fabric down into
squares not less than 1 yard (1 meter) in size, but we
suggest 40 inches square. Tip: Cut off the seams. They will
end up being pressure points and will make the bandage
more difficult to store.
2. Cut into triangles. Cut each square in half from two opposite
corners. You should end up with two identical triangles that
each have two sides the same length.
3. Sterilize. If you intent to use these for bandaging or
dressing, be sure to sterilize them. You can place them in a
pot of boiling water for several minutes or you can soak
them in a sanitizing agent.
4. Dry. Sterilize the inside of your dryer and dry on the highest
setting. They should come out without wrinkles, so no need
to iron. If you don’t have a clothes dryer, iron on a clean
surface and on the highest temperature for that cloth type.
5. Store. Fold and store in a sterile bag. Zip top bags work or
vacuum sealing is great too.

How to make an arm sling (2 methods)

Arm slings are used to support injuries and fractures to the
forearm, hand, or wrist. The arm sling is how you’ve most likely
seen a triangular bandage being used. Here are two methods
to create an arm sling. The first is your more common method
that supports the arm with both shoulders. The second
supports the arm without applying pressure to the collar bone
or shoulder of the injured arm.

Method 1

1. Bend the arm at elbow so that little finger is about a hand

breadth above level of elbow.
2. Place one end of triangle over shoulder on injured side and
let bandage hang down over chest with base toward hand
and apex toward elbow at the level of the elbow.
3. Slip bandage between body and arm.
4. Carry lower end up over shoulder on uninjured side.
5. Tie the two ends, by square knot, at the neck. Knot should
be on either side of neck, not in the middle where it could
cause discomfort when patient is lying on back.
6. Draw apex of bandage toward elbow until snug, bring it
around to front, and fasten with safety pin or adhesive tape.
Method 1

Method 2

1. Bend arm at elbow so that the little finger is about a hand-

breath above level of elbow.
2. Drape upper end of triangle over uninjured shoulder.
3. Slip bandage between body and arm.
4. Carry lower end up over flexed forearm (ends of fingers
should extend slightly beyond base of triangle).
5. Slide lower end of bandage under injured shoulder between
arm and body and secure the two ends with a square knot.
6. Draw apex toward elbow until snug, and secure with safety
pin or adhesive tape.

Method 2

Tip: For either method, if you don’t have a safety pin, twist the
apex so that it cups the elbow snugly, tie it off and tuck it in.

Warning! After the sling is applied, be sure to check it

periodically for circulation in the fingers. You don’t want to cut
off the blood flow and may need to loosen or adjust the sling.
These methods and images were taken from US Army manual
FM 8-50. The manual is no longer in use, but the use of a
triangular bandage hasn’t changed. I’ve also added some tips
based on my experience.

How to tie a square knot.

You probably already know how to tie a square knot, but didn’t
know what it was called. Below is a quick diagram.
How have you used a triangular bandage in the past? Let us know in
the comments.