A suture package comprising: a cover member having a top side and a bottom side, a holding device on the top side thereof, and a dispensing port opening therethrough; a base member having a top side, a bottom side, an outer peripheral wall extending upwardly from the top side about a first peripheral location, and an inner peripheral wall extending upwardly from the top side about a second peripheral location that is inward of the first peripheral location, the base member being coupled with the cover member such that a portion of the bottom surface of the cover member, in conjunction with a portion of the top surface and inner and outer peripheral walls of the base member form a continuous channel therebetween, and such that the dispensing port opening of the cover member is aligned with and provides access into the continuous channel; and a plurality of sutures extending substantially along the length of and within the channel, with an end region of each suture extending out of the channel through the dispensing port opening to a distal end that is removably secured to the package by the holding device, characterized in that: the holding device is a cantilever arm, and wherein a pathway followed by each suture from the point at which the suture extends out from the channel through the dispensing port opening to the point at which the suture is removably secured to the package by the cantilever arm, changes direction by at least 90 degrees, such that the cantilever arm is configured to force the suture to travel along the pathway representing at least a 90 degree bend when the suture is removed from the package. a cover member having a top side and a bottom side, a holding device on the top side thereof, and a dispensing port opening therethrough; a base member having a top side, a bottom side, an outer peripheral wall extending upwardly from the top side about a first peripheral location, and an inner peripheral wall extending upwardly from the top side about a second peripheral location that is inward of the first peripheral location, the base member being coupled with the cover member such that a portion of the bottom surface of the cover member, in conjunction with a portion of the top surface and inner and outer peripheral walls of the base member form a continuous channel therebetween, and such that the dispensing port opening of the cover member is aligned with and provides access into the continuous channel; and a plurality of sutures extending substantially along the length of and within the channel, with an end region of each suture extending out of the channel through the dispensing port opening to a distal end that is removably secured to the package by the holding device, characterized in that: the holding device is a cantilever arm, and wherein a pathway followed by each suture from the point at which the suture extends out from the channel through the dispensing port opening to the point at which the suture is removably secured to the package by the cantilever arm, changes direction by at least 90 degrees, such that the cantilever arm is configured to force the suture to travel along the pathway representing at least a 90 degree bend when the suture is removed from the package. the holding device is a cantilever arm, and wherein a pathway followed by each suture from the point at which the suture extends out from the channel through the dispensing port opening to the point at which the suture is removably secured to the package by the cantilever arm, changes direction by at least 90 degrees, such that the cantilever arm is configured to force the suture to travel along the pathway representing at least a 90 degree bend when the suture is removed from the package.