Natural Loofah Sponge – Medium

Description

Loofah is a gourd vegetable that, when dried and skinned, can be used as a sponge. They can be used in the bathroom as an exfoliator, or in the kitchen to wash dishes. Loofahs are incredibly effective natural, zero plastic cleaning options. Loofahs are also completely biodegradable and can be added to your worm farm or compost head at the end of its useful life.

These loofahs are sold whole and can be cut to size according to your preference. Please note that they might vary in size, shape, texture and colour.

Care recommendations

Once in use, loofahs can last several months if cared for correctly. Soak the loofah in water briefly before using it the first time. As with any sponge, care needs to be taken to eliminate bacteria from the loofah periodically. This can be done by boiling it in water, or washing in the washing machine at high temperature.

Size classification

20-30 cm in length

Growing and processing

These loofah, also known as loofa or luffa, are naturally grown on a river bank in the Limpopo Province where they thrive in the hot and humid environment. They are planted in early August and harvested in November. Natural predators are introduced when pests do occur so no chemicals are required. This has balanced the ecosystem in the fields.  The loofah are left to dry on the vines before harvesting.

Once harvested the loofahs are soaked in clean water and the seeds are removed. Some loofah tend to be very dark in colour.  These are treated with a high pressure water to remove the dark power that causes the colouring. In about 5% of cases a small amount of jik is added to the pressure wash. Conscious Consumption is working with the farmers to find an alternative cleaning product. They are then briefly airdried in the hot bushveld sun, before being classed and boxed.