Natural sponges are harvested from either sea animals or vegetable plants, namely gourds. Loofah, or luffa, sponges are produced from long, thin gourds and are much harder and more abrasive than sea sponges. Most often, loofah sponges are used for scrubbing and exfoliating dead skin. Often seen for sale in stores in the form of back brushes or exfoliating mitts, loofah sponges also make ideal scrubbers for pots, pans and surfaces such as counter tops. Small, approx 5″ in length