Hi @artemislives. Your sponge eco history is very nice. Environmental details like the one you´re telling really make the difference, the world is a better place due to people like you!!!
Here in Colombia we use a vegetal sponge that is very usable to different aims:
This sponge is called estropajo, and is extracted from a cucurbitaceae plant, related to the cucumber:
WE have those in abundance in Thailand too - and VERY cheap - we use them for body scrubbing. Had not ever occurred to me to use them in the kitchen. My bad.