Hands down, unbleached Mediterranean sponges are the best quality sponges when used for menstruation.
Put simply, their density allows them to absorb more liquids and also makes them stronger so they won’t tear as easily.
Caribbean sponges don’t exactly fall apart either, but with time all sponges begin to deteriorate, become weaker and will eventually tear. The question is if you want that to happen after three months or after six months.
So Why Are Caribbean Sponges So Widely Marketed?
Well firstly they’re easily accessible in the US for simple geographical reasons and secondly they’re cheaper. Whether or not the lower price is passed on in the final retail price is another issue but as a raw material Caribbean sponges are usually 30 – 40% cheaper.
This makes them ideal for when a cheap sponge is needed which will be thrown away rather than cleaned and reused. Examples would be for period sex or when a sponge is used with a spermicide as a contraceptive, also when travelling with limited bathroom access when the convenient thing is just to throw the used sponge away.
But in terms of quality and durability, go Mediterranean every time!
Unbleached Sponges Last Longer
The deterioration of any type of sponge is also accelerated by bleaching. Not by much but it’s noticeable that like-for-like a bleached sponge will begin to weaken earlier than an equivalent unbleached sponge.
Mother nature knows what’s best, when she made sponges she didn’t bleach them.
Quality Control Makes The Difference
Sponges grow, sponges are cut, dried and packaged. Sponges are sold. But not all sponges are equal.
To keep costs down some sponge sellers throw sponges into packaging and ship them them out with almost no quality control. We know this through having made test purchases. A company who checks every single sponge for foreign debris, for good density, for suitable cut and shape would increase their labour costs as well as their product cost since unsuitable sponges would be rejected.
Natural Intimacy is an Ethical Company which has exceedingly high standards of quality control, testing each sponge, hand selecting those to be used and rejecting any borderline candidates. This control and quest for quality is reflected in their slightly higher price but ensures that what you receive will certainly meet your highest expectations.