Win a £30 Gift Card!

Stories from the Studio

New 100% Biodegradable Sponge Cloths For Plastic Free Cleaning

New 100% Biodegradable Sponge Cloths For Plastic Free Cleaning

I'm very excited to launch this new product at the start of Plastic Free July.

Our new Eco Kitchen Sponge Cloth is a game changer – it’s a new plastic free reusable cleaning sponge which can be home composted and is completely biodegradable.

 New Eco Kitchen Sponge Cloths Range from Helen Round

Plastic Free July is a global movement that highlights the importance of reducing our use of plastics and combating plastic pollution.

I love this initiative because it offers provide practical solutions to the challenge of getting rid of single use plastic.  Like me, Plastic Free July believes that small steps can made a big difference and that we can all have an influence to reduce the use of plastic, by doing simple things at home. 

It's one of the reasons that we make our lovely linen bowl covers which replace the use of single use plastic film for covering food.

Sage Green Linen Set of Three Bowl Covers from the Garden Collection by Helen Round

What Can We To Reduce Plastic Use At Home?

This could be avoiding bottled soft drink and bottled water, refusing pre-packaged produce, choosing reusable coffee cups and sharing the Plastic Free challenge with family and friends.

One of my bugbears has always been plastic sponges that are used for dishwashing.  Over 400 million plastic sponges are thrown away every year in the UK alone, almost all of which are made from non-recyclable plastic which will take hundreds or thousands of years to decompose.  They leave micro plastics in our waterways and soil, causing further damage to our environment.

New Eco Kitchen Sponge Cloths

We’ve found a great solution.  Our new 100% compostable, biodegradable sponges are plastic free, super absorbent, hard wearing and reusable. Made from renewable natural resources - 70% pure regenerated cellulose and 30% cotton fibres - these sponges are kind to the environment. They are printed with our beautiful designs, so you can match your design to your kitchen or bathroom. 

Compostable Eco Kitchen Sponge Cloth in Garden design from the Garden Collection by Helen Round

Each cloth lasts from 6 – 12 months, depending on use.  Then simply cut into pieces and place in your paper recycling or if you have a home compost bin they can be composted with your regular food and garden waste.  In tests, after 8 weeks the sample used shrunk to be dissolved by 80% in microbial active soil and after 24 weeks it had totally dissolved, leaving no residue and importantly no plastic, unlike conventional cloths and sponges.

 Infographic of Benefits of the Eco Kitchen Sponge Cloth from Helen Round

 How To Use

To use, place each dry sponge under the tap to rehydrate it.  As they become wet, each sponge turns soft and springy.  Simply squeeze it out and start cleaning!  After use, rinse and leave to dry.

Fish design Eco Kitchen Sponge Cloth from the Quayside Collection by Helen Round

To refresh, pop in the washing machine or the dishwasher and then re-use for 6-12 months, depending on use.

What Are The Sponge Cloths Made From?

They're made from renewable natural resources - 70% pure regenerated cellulose and 30% cotton fibres.  Also known as Swedish Dish Cloths, they provide a great eco friendly alternative to other dishcloths, plastic sponges and paper towels. 

They save you money, resources and help to save the planet from plastic waste. To compost, simply cut into strips and pop into your compost bin or paper recycling.

Wiping a Surface with an Eco Kitchen Sponge Cloth in the Bluebell Design from Helen Round

 

What Do We Like  About These Sponge Cloths?

We love them because they are:

  • sustainable, biodegradable and safe to compost
  • vegan and cruelty-free
  • plastic free, long lasting and practical
  • eco packaged with a low impact recyclable paper band
  • printed in Cornwall using water based ink
  • 70% cellulose/30% cotton fibre cloth is made in Europe.

Rame Head Design Eco Kitchen Sponge Cloth from the Rame Head Collection by Helen Round

Why Not Try Them Out?

We know that our Eco Kitchen Cloth Sponges are a sustainable and economical solution for cleaning - they come in packs of two (one grey and one off-white) with a range of beautiful designs to choose. They reduce your single-use plastic consumption and help create a more eco-friendly home.

Bee design Eco Kitchen Sponge Cloths from the Honey Bee Collection by Helen Round

If you have any questions or comments about this article, please get in touch!  We always love to see pictures of your making and purchases of our products being used by you on our social media pages, so please do post any photos.  Find us on Facebook or Instagram.

To join our community and access all our free downloadable images and ideas, sign up to our newsletter here

You'll also receive early notice of sales, new products, gift ideas, recipes, workshops, and events!  So don't hesitate to sign up.

Leave a comment

Newsletter

Sign up to join our community and access all our free downloadable images and ideas. You'll also receive early notice of sales, new products, gift ideas, recipes, workshops, and events!