From the seeds to our final products, every aspect of our production chain is taken with consideration for people and our planet. Our knowledge and methods ensure that each formula is produced with the utmost respect for nature. This helps guarantee that we’re leaving a light footprint on the planet, while simultaneously enriching the lives of the people who live on it.

Cultivation
From sowing to harvesting, we pay close attention to cultivating the highest quality raw ingredients while respectfully caring for people and nature.
Our plants are all harvested according to their distinctive requirements and growing conditions. This means that different plants are harvested in different ways. Roses, for example, are hand-picked at dawn because that is when their fragrance is strongest, while lavender needs to be harvested at mid-day because its essential oils are most abundant under the high sun.
Extraction
Our oils are extracted locally, right after they got harvested. In order to successfully retrieve the purest plant ingredients possible, we use plant-specific methods of extraction.
ESSENTIAL OILS
Depending on the nature of the plant, essential oils are extracted through various methods from the plants blossoms, leaves, twigs or even the entire plant.

Floral Waters
Floral waters are obtained as a precious byproduct in the steam distillation process of essential oils. The flower water contains valuable water-soluble components and small traces of essential oil. Since the chemical properties and composition of the floral water is different from the essential oil’s, its fragrance also differs, even though both substances are extracted from the exact same plant. Floral water has excellent characteristics and offers a gentle form of aromatherapy.
Base Oils
Base oils are obtained by extracting the fatty components from the plants, such as the seeds, kernels or fruits. The two main methods of extraction are cold pressing and maceration.
Our base oils are extracted through the gentle process of cold pressing, capturing a high percentage of nourishing unsaturated fatty acids and precious active components. The oils are cold pressed from the chopped plant material without any heat and carefully filtered.
In the alternative process of hot pressing that often results in a higher yield, many important active components and the natural aromas get lost. Cold pressing allows us to extract all natural ingredients in the process.
Some base oils can only be produced through the process of maceration. Fresh or dried plant material is immersed in a neutral cold pressed oil, in which it marinates for a longer time span. The plant material is filtered out to obtain the macerated base oil.
In this process, all liposoluble ingredients of the plant merge into the oil, transporting precious and powerful active components into our products. Popular base oils that are typically produced by maceration are Calendula and St. John’s wort.

Processing
The processing of our precious raw ingredients is handled with high expertise and takes place exclusively at our headquarters in Oy-Mittelberg, in Southern Germany. Expert knowledge in product development, synergetic production flow and high standards in our quality management are important aspects in producing our highest quality products.
Our in-house chemists monitor the physical and microbiological properties of all PRIMAVERA ingredients in our lab and use our gas chromatograph and mass spectroscope to analyze the chemical makeup of substances. Independent institutions including NaTrue, Demeter, BCS Öko-Garantie GmbH and ISO ensure that stringent and objective standards are upheld. By tracing the charge number, we have the possibility to track each product’s production process for our customers, from seed to bottle.
Declaration
Information about the duty of declaration for essential oils in the EU
- Essential oils are highly concentrated plant substances. Depending on the purpose of use, different laws apply, dictating a specific declaration on the product labels.
- As soon as essential oils are used in a diffuser or any other device for air freshening, they are classified as “utensil” and fall under the Commodities Act. From this perspective, the essential oil is categorized and declared by terms of the Law of Chemical Substances and the EU guidelines REACH and CLP. The product label must show the appropriate danger symbols, including danger and security advice.
- When the essential oil is used for external application on the skin or in the mouth area, it classifies as cosmetic product. It now falls under EU guideline for cosmetic products. Again, the appropriate declaration on the product label is dictated legally binding by law. The declaration details include information about application and dosage.
- Certain essential oils can be ingested and are therefore suitable for food flavoring. In this case, various food laws are the guiding institution such as the flavor regulations.
In conclusion, the EU regulations determine that one single purpose of use must be chosen for each individual product and labelled accordingly. It is not allowed to attribute more than one purpose of use to one single product.
„I love our PRIMAVERA products, because we work together WITH nature. We give back to it all that we take.“
Martina Rota
Aroma Expert Consulting