Loofahs are shower accessories used for cleaning and exfoliating the skin. They are sometimes spelled luffas and are popular for their coarse, spongy consistency. Natural loofahs are made from a gourd in the cucumber family, specifically from the dried-out tropical or subtropical gourd belonging to the genus Luffa. The most common species used for making loofahs are L. aegyptiaca and L. acutangula. Luffa gourds are grown in tropical and subtropical climates, and before World War II, many were grown and imported from Japan. Nowadays, plants can be grown domestically or imported from nearly any warmer climate.
Synthetic loofahs, on the other hand, are made of plastic and other colorful synthetic materials that are gathered up into looped sections of mesh. They are different from natural loofahs and are not biodegradable.
In summary, natural loofahs are made from a dried-out tropical or subtropical gourd belonging to the genus Luffa, while synthetic loofahs are made of plastic and other synthetic materials.
