An apparatus includes a staple cartridge. The staple cartridge includes staples, a deck, and a buttress. The deck defines a plurality of openings. Each opening of the plurality of openings is associated with a corresponding staple of the plurality of staples, such that each staple is configured to pass through a corresponding opening of the plurality of openings. The buttress is configured to detach from the staple deck in response to the staples being driven through the corresponding openings of the deck. The buttress is resiliently biased to transition from a first configuration while attached to the deck to a second configuration when detached from the deck. The buttress has a first length in the first configuration and a second length in the second configuration. The first length is longer than the second length.
