Abstract: Surgical sutures are protected from damage in shipment and handling by providing holders having foamed plastic shapes that are adapted to receive the point and cutting surfaces of a needle in an edge portion of the foamed plastic shape and retain the suture in a manner so that the suture can be easily removed from the holder without the need for undue manipulation of the holder. The holders may also serve as a support to facilitate the manipulation of the needle or suture by operating room personnel, to organize and provide access to selected lengths of surgical thread, and to provide an identifiable repository for used needles. The foamed plastic protective handling devices of this invention are particularly suitable for use in cooperative relationship with selected packaging materials to permit the storage of needles and sutures under sterile conditions.