A high strength abrasion resistant surgical suture material with industry standard knot tying characteristics and color marking characteristics includes a core formed of a plurality of twisted fibers of a first material, surrounded by a braided cover including a first material sheathed in or coated by a second material different than the first material. The first material is preferably ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene and the second material is preferably a polymeric material having good knot-tying characteristics.