Dictionary.com
definitions

sponge cloth

noun
  1. any cloth loosely woven of coarse yarn to produce a spongy look or texture, especially one constructed in honeycomb weave.
  2. ratiné.

Origin of sponge cloth

First recorded in 1860–65
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
British Dictionary definitions for sponge cloth

sponge cloth

noun
  1. any of various porous fabrics, usually made in a loose honeycomb weave
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012