Sea Pearls are 100% natural sea sponge tampons, perfect for making your period that little bit easier

Sea Pearls Natural Sea Sponge Tampons are an innovative, healthy and natural way to make your period a little easier. Made with pure and natural sea sponge, Sea Pearls are sustainably harvested off the Gulf Coast in Florida (so they're great for the environment) and last 3-6 months or more (so they're much better value than conventional sanitary products too!)

Sea Pearls Natural Sea Sponge Tampons are easy to insert, very absorbent and ultra-comfortable, so you won't even know you are wearing them during your period. They are convenient because they last between 3-6 months (even up to a year or more, depending on how you care for them) and are washable and reusable.  Sea Pearls are available in three different sizes: small, medium and large.

Sea Sponge Tampon sizing

• Small: 1.5 - 2 inches, absorbs 0.5oz - 1oz of fluid for light days, or for young women new to menstruation
• Medium: 2 - 2.5 inches, absorbs 1 - 2 oz of fluid for regular to heavy days
• Large: 2.5 - 3 inches, absorbs 2 - 3.5+ oz of fluid for your heaviest days

We offer Sea Pearls Natural Sea Sponge Tampons in Small, Medium and Large. With the individual sizes Small, Medium and Large, you receive 2 Sea Pearl Sea Sponge Tampons with a brochure and a cotton storage bag. If you aren't sure what size to buy, or if you feel that you may need different sizes for different days, we also offer a Starter Pack, which contains one sponge of each size with a brochure and cotton storage bag.

The average woman uses around 17,000 disposable pads and tampons throughout her life and in North America alone, every year around 20 billion pads and tampons end up in landfill and sewage! Sea Pearls Natural Sea Sponge Tampons are not only much better value than standard sanitary products, they are also fantastic for the environment.

Sea Pearls Natural Sea Sponge Tampons are natural and extremely absorbent, can be trimmed to fit you perfectly and are so soft that they can even be used during sex. Sea Pearls are not bleached and contain no dioxin or synthetic fibres so they are natural and work beautifully in harmony with your body as they do not have the same harmful drying effects as normal tampons.

Taking care of your Natural Sea Sponge Menstrual Sponge is easy!

Sponges can be delicate so great care should be taken when using and cleaning them. When cared for properly sponges can last between 3 - 6 months, or more. You can use your sponges for up to 12 hours at a time.

Directions:

1. Use a natural, chemical-free soap or soak for 5 - 10 minutes in a cup of warm water with one of the following:

• 2 - 3 drops of tea tree oil
• 1 tbsp of vinegar
• 1 tbsp of baking soda (this helps to restore density and volume)
• 1 tsp of hydrogen peroxide (this helps to eliminate discolouration)

2. Rinse sponge and squeeze out the excess water

Please note:

• Do not boil your sponge! Boiling toughens and shrinks sea sponges.
• Do not use harsh chemicals or soaps!
• Do not soak your sponges longer than the recommended time as this can cause your sponge to deteriorate faster.

How Often Should Sponges Be Cleaned?

Sea Pearls can be rinsed and reused multiple times and do not need to be sanitized after each use. We recommend that you clean your sponge:

• Prior to use for the first time
• Once daily during use
• If the sponge develops an unpleasant odour
• Prior to storing

Sponges should also be completely dry before being stored and should be kept in a breathable container or bag.

How To Trim A Sponge so it is a perfect fit for your body

Once wet, sponges compress and become extremely pliable and soft. If you feel your sponge is too large, it can easily be trimmed to a custom size.

• Sponges are easiest to trim when dry but can also be carefully trimmed when wet
• Do not cut your sponge in half as Sea Pearls are trimmed to a specific shape
• With scissors, trim around the perimeter of the sponge, a little at a time until you reach the desired size. Remember: The more you trim, the less liquid it can absorb.

If the surface of your sponge starts to become ragged, do not tear or rip the sponge. Instead, trim the loose pieces off with scissors until the surface is smooth. This will extend the lifetime of your sponge.

Q What Are Sea Sponges?

A. Sea sponges are plant-like creatures that grow in colonies in the ocean; they are the simplest form of multi-cellular animals and have no brain or nervous system.

Q What Makes Them Sustainable?

A. Sea sponges are a renewable resource as they possess remarkable powers of regeneration. They have the ability to regrow lost pieces and parts broken off by strong water currents. Sponge fragments can also settle in another location and regrow into a clone of the parent sponge. When sponges are harvested, divers cut them so the base of the sponge remains intact; this ensures that the sponge has the ability to regrow and regenerate so they can return and harvest them over and over again.

Sea sponges also reproduce sexually. Most sponges are both female and male and will play either role during reproduction. When a sponge acts as a male, it releases sperm that travel and fertilize eggs in a sponge acting as a female. The fertilized eggs develop into baby sponges that are released into the water to settle down and start growing. The next time the sponges reproduce, they may change sexual roles.

Q How Are Sea Sponges Harvested?

A. Sponges are harvested by hand-cutting the sponge, or by using a hook and tearing the sponge free. Studies have shown that cutting the sponge and leaving the base intact is the best method because it encourages a speedier regrowth. In areas where sponge diving is permitted, divers are required to harvest sponges by cutting rather than tearing the sponge free.

There are several measures in place to protect the sponge population and marine ecosystems:

• All sponges harvested must have a minimum dimension of 5 inches.
• Sponge harvesting is strictly prohibited in sanctuaries such as the Biscayne National Park and the Everglades National Park.
• There are over 5000 varieties of sponges, and only a small percentage are harvested for commercial use; these are generally not found in coral reef areas.