Sea Sponge Luxuries

by Delia Montgomery March 1, 2009, 2:59 am 322 Views 6 Comments

Humans are fortunate to have such a renewable resource as sea sponges in our oceans. It is remarkable how they survive pollution where other sea creatures can’t. That is because they have the ability to regenerate into new forms of life from even the tiniest fragments of another. Baby sponges resemble plankton and after a few days of free floating, will attach themselves to a hard surface and begin to grow.

History dates as far back as the 5th century B. C. where the Greeks of the islands of the Aegean Sea were the founders of natural sponging. Bahamian sponge merchants were borne by a Frenchman who was shipwrecked in the Bahamas in 1841.

A sponge’s life span ranges from a few months to 20 years or more. Some thrive in the deepest regions of the seas, including sea caves where there’s little or no light. Some varieties even live in fresh water. There are approximately 5,000 species of sponges to date.

Gloria Starita is the proprietor of Jade and Pearl in Florida, where her company bath sponges are sustainably harvested. She also offers Sea Pearls, completely natural sea sponge tampons. All of her company sponges exclude dioxin applications or synthetic fibers. Gloria’s tampon sponges are collected from the Bahamas and Greece, also in a sustainable manner. She reminds me that Cleopatra used sea sponge tampons.

Reusable for six months or more, Gloria points out that sponge tampons are incredibly economical. And so are cosmetic sponges, which is another natural species. Makeup artists claim they are superior to synthetics and ideal for sensitive skin. A sea sponge is good for washing dishes too. They don’t retain that annoying odor that synthetic sponges do.

Gloria tells me the industry is closely monitored by suppliers as well as several environmental agencies. Jade and Pearl harvesters stay clear of coral reefs. In fact they’re hand-gathered by divers one by one, the old-fashioned way.

Written by Delia Montgomery

I am Delia, d/b/a Chic Eco on www.ChicEco.com, and established myself as an eco fashion guru by learning "who makes what in the world of environmental fashion and design."

Enjoy reading some of my freelance writing about environmental design, fashion and art -- from both consumer and supplier perspectives. You may notice I focus most on individual eco designers, movers and shakers.

From sustainable fashion apparel to paint and flooring, discoveries are a rush. I get my kicks this way. I also offer sales representation of earth-friendly designed products for wholesale buyers. Retailers may take advantage of my services with factory-direct pricing. Spend less time sourcing and prevent green-washed purchases!

My other forte is connecting suppliers with business-to-business tools. Aspects of my business vary with consulting services while I'm proud to be the aide that embraces unique and innovative gigs.

I'm originally a Kentucky Blue Grass gal who relocated to Maui early 2006 and the tropical Puna District of Big Island, Hawaii late 2007. Walk the talk is my motto here.

Early 2009 I constructed a yurt home office in a semi-urban setting on a tiny lot. My water comes from the sky, contained in a catchment that's not likely to dry in this rain forest. The electric is designed for solar conversion. I grow about 30% of my food organically, compost, and recycle to the hilt. Permaculture with a full eco system is my gardening style.

In fact, gardening is my ultimate joy. I seek gigs like design, weeding and planting between other jobs. My love is Hawai'i which has more climate zones than any state. There are frequent earthquakes here, typically under a 3.0 magnitude, and I happen to dig the vibrations. It's a wonderful simple life in paradise. As I grow older and wiser, I become more and more grateful.