Sorting Dried Tobacco Leaves

Honduran cigars are world renowned as being amongst the finest available. The Plasencia Tobacco factory is reputed to be the largest factory. Over 2000 people are employed here. The workers here are sorting and grading dried leaves. Some are destined to be exported as-is (i.e. as dried leaves), while the rest are sent to other areas to be hand rolled in to cigars. The dried leaves are amazingly durable, and far less brittle than we imagined. They are very fine, and have a texture not dissimilar to silk. This workplace must take a toll on worker's health, as we found the environment to be quite overwhelming – you can feel the odour in your chest, like fumes. We both had trouble stifling coughs and sneezes.