HARVEST AND EXTRACTION 2025

The indigo cutting and pigment extraction phase in Tintoremus

The harvesting phase is the first step in the process of obtaining natural indigo pigment. At Tintoremus, this stage takes place in the fields of Santa María de las Lomas, Cáceres, Spain, where we responsibly cultivate the Persicaria tinctoria plant from which we extract the indigo color.

Harvesting consists of collecting the leaves once they have reached their optimal stage of development. This occurs after several weeks of growth, approximately between July and September.

At Tintoremus, we cut the upper part of the plant—the part richest in active ingredients—which allows the plant to remain alive and regenerate for future harvests.

The speed between harvesting and subsequent treatment is key.

Therefore, the leaves are immediately transported to our extraction plant, located a few meters from the crops. There, the extraction process begins, which includes fermentation, oxygenation, filtration, and drying to obtain the final pigment, indigo.

On a practical level, indigo harvesting is a demanding task: it requires experience, care, and coordinated execution. But it is also the foundation of the entire Tintoremus production system. By controlling the process from seed to pigment, we ensure not only full traceability but also efficient use of resources and a positive impact on the local community, which is directly involved in every phase of the cultivation process.

In short, the cut is much more than the beginning of the dye job: it's the starting point of our commitment to responsible, circular, and transparent color production.