African Net Sponge: A New Viral Category
What makes it different
Inspired by traditional African fishing nets, this simple invention is quickly becoming one of the hottest bath products online. Made from nylon mesh with sealed edges, it’s highly flexible and stretches up to 1.14 meters, perfect for scrubbing hard-to-reach areas with ease. The open mesh structure helps create plenty of lather while gently scrubbing away dead skin and dirt, offering a stronger exfoliating effect than typical loofahs or bath sponges. It’s also quick-drying and long-lasting, which means customers don’t need to replace it every few weeks like most loofahs.
Selling at around $10 each, this product has taken off largely thanks to TikTok Shop. Some sellers move tens of thousands of units per week, powered by simple but highly visual short videos. A small startup that entered the market in 2022 has already generated over $5 million in GMV, making this one of the most surprising breakout products in its category.
From viral hit to product line expansion
The rise of using fishing net-inspired sponges began with the Nigerian brand Bellanomi. Its founder, Amanda, grew up with the tradition of using “Sapo,” originally made from natural materials. Today, it has evolved into a durable, elastic nylon mesh designed for daily bathing.
Amanda holds a pharmacy degree and works as a pharmacist. She founded the brand to address skincare needs within people of color. Like competitors such as Omas Cosmetics, Holyraw, and Ceeceesclosetnyc, Bellanomi uses the African net sponge as a lead product to drive traffic, then expands into complementary bath oils, balms, and other body-care items.
Selling great on Amazon, but not perfect
The strong sales performance on Amazon further proves this product’s rising popularity in the bath accessories category. On Amazon’s Best Seller Rank for bath sponges, more than half of the top 10 are now African net sponge listings. For example, the current No.1 top-seller is a 3-piece set, with over 40,000 units sold monthly and more than 60,000 repeat purchases, reflecting a high repurchase rate.
It’s made from nylon, with a relatively low manufacturing cost. This type of generic product is easy to replicate and source. Most Amazon sellers bundle multiple pieces into sets, using variations in packaging and color to create differentiation.
While the product may look simple, many reviews still point out issues like shedding, not being rough enough, or not being long enough. In most cases, these problems likely come down to differences in material quality. Just like nylon sponge nets and fishing nets, both are machine-woven, but they don’t always use the same grade of nylon. Most of the world’s nylon, especially high-strength Nylon 6, comes from China. Key production hubs like Ningbo, Fujian, and Shaoxing supply nylon nets worldwide, including much of West Africa.
According to founder Amanda, many of these sponge nets are sourced from local markets in Nigeria, where similar nylon mesh is also used for fishing nets. Depending on the size of fish being caught, the nets come in different mesh sizes. For bath sponges, the ideal nylon needs to be flexible and elastic, with the right tension and knot structure to provide gentle exfoliation without damaging the skin barrier. That’s probably why they get negative reviews, the wrong kind of nylon.
Selling Showerheads Like Razors & Blades
Here’s another bath product we’re looking at today: Jolie’s filtered showerhead. The showerhead sells for around $160, while the filter subscription costs $35 and needs to be replaced every 90 days. It’s a smart move, because the modern design basically locks customers into buying Jolie’s proprietary filters for as long as they use the product. Selling the showerhead brings the customer in; the real profit comes from the ongoing filter sales.
To attract potential customers, they developed a water-quality lookup tool on their website. This tool pulls data from official U.S. government sources (EPA) and local municipal water reports. By entering a zip code and email, users receive a customized water report that compares their tap water to CDC safety standards.
This was a smart move. First, the tool quickly generates tens of thousands of potential customer leads. More importantly, Jolie used the water report to highlight how tap water quality can affect hair loss, acne, and skin issues, putting the problem directly in front of the customer. After seeing their personalized report, many consumers felt like they urgently needed a solution.
That’s where Jolie’s shower head appears at the end of the report. Instead of competing on water pressure, spray modes, or temperature control, Jolie positions itself more like a skincare product, with customers coming back regularly to rreplacements.
Other Products Clients Ask About
Besides sponges and filters, we’re also seeing steady sourcing interest in scrub products, ranging from double-sided scrubbers to handheld silicone brushes.
There’s also growing interest in electric scrubbers and back massagers, especially for seniors, late-stage pregnant women, people with limited mobility, or anyone who has trouble reaching certain areas.
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