A fastener cartridge can comprise a compressible, collapsible, and/or crushable cartridge body and fasteners embedded within the cartridge body which can be utilized to fasten tissue. In use, the fastener cartridge can be positioned in a first jaw of a surgical fastening device, wherein the first jaw can be positioned opposite a second jaw, or anvil. The anvil can be engaged with the fastener cartridge to compress, collapse, and/or crush the cartridge body and deform, or otherwise deploy, the fasteners contained therein. As the fasteners are deformed or deployed, the fasteners can capture at least a portion of the cartridge body therein along with at least a portion of the tissue being fastened. In various embodiments, the cartridge body can comprise a plurality of layers comprised of different materials which can apply pressure to the tissue. These different materials can have different stiffnesses and/or spring rates.
