A surgical staple cartridge for use in a surgical instrument, comprising: a cartridge body including a cartridge deck and a longitudinal slot configured to at least partially receive a knife; a buttress material (939, 939') sized to be operably received on the deck of the surgical staple cartridge; characterized in that said buttress material (939, 939') comprises: a first buttress body (939, 939') including at least four edges and a central portion and sized to be operably received on the deck of the surgical staple cartridge on one side of the longitudinal slot, with a first edge of the first buttress body (939, 939') positioned adjacent to and alongside the longitudinal slot and a second edge of the first buttress body (939, 939') opposite said first edge, wherein the first edge and the second edge of the first buttress body (939, 939') each comprise a plurality of edge notches formed therein, and wherein the central portion of the first buttress body (939, 939') includes a plurality of cutout openings therein; and a second buttress body (939, 939') including at least four edges and a central portion and sized to be operably received on the deck of the surgical staple cartridge on the other side of the longitudinal slot, with a first edge of the second buttress body (939, 939') positioned adjacent to and alongside the longitudinal slot and a second edge of the second buttress body (939, 939') opposite said first edge, wherein the first edge and the second edge of the second buttress body (939, 939') each comprise a plurality of edge notches formed therein, and wherein the central portion of the second buttress body (939, 939') includes a plurality of cutout openings therein. a cartridge body including a cartridge deck and a longitudinal slot configured to at least partially receive a knife; a buttress material (939, 939') sized to be operably received on the deck of the surgical staple cartridge; characterized in that said buttress material (939, 939') comprises: a first buttress body (939, 939') including at least four edges and a central portion and sized to be operably received on the deck of the surgical staple cartridge on one side of the longitudinal slot, with a first edge of the first buttress body (939, 939') positioned adjacent to and alongside the longitudinal slot and a second edge of the first buttress body (939, 939') opposite said first edge, wherein the first edge and the second edge of the first buttress body (939, 939') each comprise a plurality of edge notches formed therein, and wherein the central portion of the first buttress body (939, 939') includes a plurality of cutout openings therein; and a second buttress body (939, 939') including at least four edges and a central portion and sized to be operably received on the deck of the surgical staple cartridge on the other side of the longitudinal slot, with a first edge of the second buttress body (939, 939') positioned adjacent to and alongside the longitudinal slot and a second edge of the second buttress body (939, 939') opposite said first edge, wherein the first edge and the second edge of the second buttress body (939, 939') each comprise a plurality of edge notches formed therein, and wherein the central portion of the second buttress body (939, 939') includes a plurality of cutout openings therein. a first buttress body (939, 939') including at least four edges and a central portion and sized to be operably received on the deck of the surgical staple cartridge on one side of the longitudinal slot, with a first edge of the first buttress body (939, 939') positioned adjacent to and alongside the longitudinal slot and a second edge of the first buttress body (939, 939') opposite said first edge, wherein the first edge and the second edge of the first buttress body (939, 939') each comprise a plurality of edge notches formed therein, and wherein the central portion of the first buttress body (939, 939') includes a plurality of cutout openings therein; and a second buttress body (939, 939') including at least four edges and a central portion and sized to be operably received on the deck of the surgical staple cartridge on the other side of the longitudinal slot, with a first edge of the second buttress body (939, 939') positioned adjacent to and alongside the longitudinal slot and a second edge of the second buttress body (939, 939') opposite said first edge, wherein the first edge and the second edge of the second buttress body (939, 939') each comprise a plurality of edge notches formed therein, and wherein the central portion of the second buttress body (939, 939') includes a plurality of cutout openings therein.