Plastic sponge swap to Cellulose sponge

Why make the swap

• Why switch to cellulose sponge

  Cellulose (wood pulp) or loofah (a dried gourd). Both are plant-based.

• What's the concern with plastic sponge

  Polyurethane and polyester sponges wear down into microplastics that go down the drain. Every sponge material grows bacteria, plastic or not.

• General information, not medical advice. Ask your doctor, especially if you’re pregnant, nursing or have a health condition.

• Good to know before you buy

  Many ‘cellulose’ scrubbers have a polyester scrub layer. Replace every 1–2 weeks.

  With scrubber: Full Circle loofah sponge, cotton-stitched, 2-pk: Loofah scrub side stitched onto plant-based cellulose with cotton thread, no glue. The maker says it's 100% plastic-free. (Full Circle's walnut and coconut sponges are different and contain recycled plastic.)

  With scrubber: LAIF loofah-and-cellulose sponge, 4-pk: Loofah scrub side sewn on with cotton thread, no glue. The maker says it's plastic-free: just loofah, cellulose and cotton.

• Sources (1)

  1. Hamann et al. 2026: 0.68–4.21 g of microplastic per person per year (opens in a new tab)

  Health and safety facts on this page come from this source. What a pick is made of comes from its maker's listing or website, as stated on the date we checked.