One motto of environmentalism is about each of us doing our part. The Sponge Suit operates on this same ideal. No, it may not be enough to make a huge difference in our oceans, but each swim can help to make the world a little better, even if just a tiny bit. Designed by the team of Pinar Guvenc, Inanc Eray, Gonzalo Carbajo and Marco Mattia Cristofori, the Sponge Suit is meant to be an accessory for the environmentally friendly, extending the habits of recycling, composting or shopping sustainably into swimwear.
The suit itself is made up of two parts, a pollutant-absorbing sponge material, and the geometric 3D-printed shell that fits to the body. The Sponge is the key component. Made up of super-hydrophobic carbon-based material, it is light weight and super absorbent, with the ability to suck up 25 times its weight. While the Sponge sucks up pollutants, it also locks them away, keeping the away from the body. The contaminants are only released if the Sponge material is heated to over 1000 degrees Celsius, making it safe to wear.
The Sponge Suit is still just a prototype, but hopes to become a consumer product in the next few years, enabling swimmers to clean up their personal worlds.