top of page

Natural Sea Sponges

                     The photograph right shows the entirety of the sea sponges offered by Canada Sponge.

 

 

                      The first line of sponges are the packaged version of the second line of unpackaged sponges moving from the largest

to the smallest (from left to right): 

 

Size:           8 - 8.5"          7 - 7.5"         6 - 6.5"         5 - 5.5"        4 - 4.5"

 

Code:        00046-5       00068-7       01012-9       01620-6      03035-6

 

 

                       The third line of sponges show the variety of the various types of sea sponges. While the first and second line 

of sponges are all reef sponges (traditionally called grass sponges),

the third line includes (from left to right):

 

Silk | Elephant Ear | Hardhead | Wool A | Wool B | Honeycomb

(Please note, as one example,  that "Elephant Ear" is merely a descriptive term, no ears and no elephants are involved.)

The photograph right shows different packaging from the usual poly bag packaging shown above. The unique presentation here is in netting allowing the customer to clearly see and feel the various textures and types of natural sponges being offered.

The photograph right is generally how tourists today see sea sponges when they visit a sponge fishing area.

The 2 photographs right, taken by the Founder of Canada Sponge, Alexander Gerolimatos in 1948, show the expanse of the commercial nature of natural sea sponge fishing in the past. It was large in scale, offering employment and income in a low tech industry in countries with high unemployment and low educational standards. It was a naturally renewing business which had a high labour component.

 

Each sponge must be necessarily picked and processed individually. It is true to say that each natural sea sponge has been 'handcrafted' by a sponge fishing artisan.

The photograph right, while old, still tells a story regarding the size of natural sea sponges which is as true today as it was then. Natural sea sponges come in all kinds of shapes and sizes. Unless it is the purpose to be wasteful, and the industry which is based on the profit motive is not naturally wasteful, all of the sponge harvested must be utilized. This, in part, accounts for the variety of shapes and sizes available.

The photograph right includes Alexander Gerolimatos, Founder of Canada Sponge, circa 1956, on a sponge fishing boat with members of its crew.

The 2 photographs right of bales of natural sea sponges in the Canada Sponge warehouses over the years show the labour intensive nature of natural sponges.

 

In the upper photograph, alternatively 650 and 1000 pieces of natural sea sponges have been carefully compressed in bales for shipment and storage, prior to processing, utilizing a baling machine.

 

In the lower photograph are bales into which sponges have been labouriously compressed by hand, piece by piece, and then the tops of the bales sewn by hand. Typically these bales come from 'outer islands' where fishermen have either no access to electricity or it is too expense to afford. The local fishermen pursue a traditional industry according to their local traditions and customs in a naturally renewing product, which while not glamorous does provide the dignity and freedom which come from income and gainful employment. 

bottom of page