Tobacco Softening § Humidification Machine

Softening is the name given to the process of moistening tobacco leaves to touch, process, and transport tobacco leaves by hand after they are harvested. Once softened, the leaves are sorted, graded, and shipped to commercial units and factories. While stored in warehouses, both the new crop and the –processed or unprocessed- crop of tobacco leaves from earlier years are affected by weather conditions such as cold, heat, fog, humidity, rain, and wind. While preserved at the Cibali Tobacco Factory, this softening method would be applied at various stages of processing packed tobacco in order to preserve its softness and moisture. The lid of the machine would be opened, the tobacco bales would be placed inside, and once the heating system underneath was activated, the tobacco in the container would be softened, humidified, and be made ready for processing.