Cut and cleaned by hand on Yialos harbour for thirty years, in the shop where we have been telling people which sponge they actually need.
The question we answer twenty times a day
The difference between them is depth. Wool grows at forty to fifty metres and silk at sixty to seventy, where the water is colder and the pressure higher, so they grow slowly and end up with a tighter skeleton. That is the whole reason one sponge costs more than another, and lasts longer.
From the shallow water around the island. Firmer and more open than the deep water sponges, which is what most people actually want for daily washing.
Coarser on purpose, and not meant for daily use. Twice a week is enough to lift the dead skin from the body.
The one most people are after. Holds a great deal of water, stays soft while it is full, and lasts years if you rinse it and let it dry properly.
The finest we sell, with pores so small the surface is almost smooth. Velvety is the word we use in the shop. Every sponge here is soft. This is the softest, which is why it is the one we hand to somebody buying for a baby.
The great-grandson of a sponge diver
Our great-grandfather went down in the canvas suit and the brass helmet, in the years when sponges were the whole economy of Symi.
The boats are gone. The trade is not. Sponges still arrive raw and are still sorted, cut and trimmed by hand before anything reaches a shelf.
We were invited in, given a knowledgeable talk about the different types of sponge and their different uses. We were encouraged to touch and dip the sponges in water to test them and were made to feel so welcome. Would highly recommend! They will even post to the uk when you require a new sponge!
We had a very nice demonstration and introduction in the world of natural Symi sponges. We got to try and touch different kinds of sponges (for the body, for the face, for sensitive skin, for exfoliating), and we got to feel and try their creams.
This store has great products and friendly service! I bought a lot of cosmetics there, and then I ordered 8 pieces of body butter from Poland — the package arrived today, everything is fine.
4.7 ★ 41 reviews on Google
