Abstract: A wound dressing combining a graduated density felt 1 with an absorbent fiber layer 2 in order that the aggressive absorption of the absorbent layer 2 may be regulated to acceptable rates for wound dressing usage and to ensure potentially irritative alginate absorbent fibers are isolated from the wound site. The graduated density felt 1 acts as a regulating or gate layer for the absorbent fiber layer 2 and so limits the rate that exudate from a wound can pass to the absorbent fiber layer 2. Furthermore, the regulating layer 1 effectively spreads the exudate to give a conical transmission profile enhancing wound dressing performance.