At the Farmers Market: Saint John’s Sponge and Soap

Something yellow and soft has made its way from the sub-tropical waters of the Gulf of Mexico to the Calabasas Farmers Market.

Kerry Raptis, owner of Saint John’s Sponge and Soap, recently introduced Calabasas Patch to her broad selection of natural wool sea sponges.

Sponge 101

“My husband is from the Gulf of Mexico so it was a natural progression for us to get into this,” the farmers market retailer said as she explained her business’ beginnings.

Harvested since the 1900s, the biodegradable and environmentally safe sponges are good for a variety of uses. Unlike their synthetic counterparts, they last longer.

Known as bottom-dwelling creatures, the sponges are also considered a renewable natural resource. They have the ability to regrow lost or harvested parts or regrow into a clone of their parent sponge. Harvesting actually increases their population density.

Sponge selections

Raptis showed Patch the wool sponge, which is good for bathing, general cleaning, dishwashing, faux painting and car washing.

“It’s long-lasting and it won’t hold residue, color or odor,” she described the ultra soft sponge, which retails for $12 for the 4-inch version and $25 for the 8-inch version.

The yellow sponge is also suitable for faux painting and dishwashing. For bathing purposes, it is more exfoliating than the wool sponge.

Another variety, the grass sponge, is extremely soft and perfect for bathing babies, young children and those with delicate or sensitive skin.

For daily facial use, Raptis suggested the silk sponge, a wonderful exfoliator. “It won’t retain bacteria,” she claimed. “Just rinse it and keep it dry until your next use.”

Lastly, Raptis pointed out the vase sponge, a decorative piece fit for a bathroom. “It’s also becoming quite popular as a gift basket of sorts,” she said, while demonstrating that the vase sponge can be filled with a variety of bath and beauty items.

The durable and spacious vase sponge retails for $35 to $100, and comes in a variety of sizes.

Sponge matters

Aside from sponges, Saint John’s also carries uncommon soaps like goat milk (unscented and with cocoa mango); organic avocado and lemongrass; lavender and shea butter and Grecian spa. The soaps sell for $5 each except for the soap with sponge inserts which sell for $10.

“The sponges for bathing sell really well here in Calabasas,” said Raptis. “We have been getting a lot of repeat customers lately.”

Saint John’s Sponges and Soap products are available in five farmers markets in the Los Angeles area and also online.

The Calabasas Farmers Market is open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday at 23504 Calabasas Road, across the street from the Sagebrush Cantina.