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Sustainably grown Micronesian sea sponges.
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Recommended for: Applying or removing makeup, the gentlest facial exfoliation, and for everyday bath and shower.
Instructions: To maintain the life of your sponges, wash occasionally with warm soap and water and allow to sun dry. Unlike synthetic and loofah sponges, our sponges are resistant to mold and mildew and will soften in water after cleaning.
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By purchasing a Farm to Girl product, you are directly making a positive difference to rural developing communities in Solomon Islands, Micronesia, and Africa and local farms in California and Texas by supporting their livelihoods and well-being. Thank you for Helping Women Help Themselves!
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Farm to Girl is partnering with the Marine Environmental Research Institute of Pohnpei (MERIP) to provide an international market for small-scale Micronesian sponge farmers. For more than a decade, MERIP has worked with local communities in Pohnpei, Micronesia, to promote sustainable aquaculture and provide an alternative livelihood for coral reef fishers. In Pohnpei, 19 community members are now producing sponges (Cosinoderma matthewsi) for Farm to Girl. Each of the sponges we offer takes 2-3 years to grow, but requires little maintenance, allowing farmers to engage in other traditional activities. MERIP is currently developing culture techniques for a new species of sponge, Spongia matamata. Coral and sponge farming have proven to be an excellent grassroots activity for Pohnpei’s rural farmers and fishers. Because sponges can be grown by cloning (asexual budding), portions of sponge for grow-out can be removed without harm from the parent colony to form a new colony. Parent colonies heal and the process can continue sustainably. Capital start-up costs are generally quite low, allowing both expansion of existing farms and start up of new farms as demand increases. Since sponges have a high value per unit weight, shipping is cost effective from remote areas and greatly reduces our ecological footprint. By purchasing a Farm to Girl Micronesian sea sponge, you are making a positive difference in protecting the world’s coral reefs for future generations and in helping developing island fishing communities help themselves—thank you!
