history

20 Years of Trust: Phytoextractum’s Journey

by

In 2005, Phytoextractum was born out of a passion for botanical discovery and a vision for a better future for kratom. At the time, few had even heard of kratom, and the idea of an online vendor dedicated to this remarkable plant was revolutionary. Fast-forward 20 years, and we are proud to stand as one of the longest-running, most trusted names in the kratom industry.

Our journey has been anything but simple. From the early days of explaining what kratom even was, to the turbulence of FDA and DEA scrutiny, to today’s more established—but still evolving—market, we have remained committed to our core values: integrity, quality, and community.

From Family Startup to Industry Leader

What began as a small family operation in Portland has since grown into a robust company with over 20 employees and a full-scale warehouse. Our team is made up of eclectic and passionate individuals who reflect the unique, vibrant culture of Portland itself. Each member brings something different to the table, but we are united by a shared mission: to provide the kratom community with products we ourselves would proudly use.

This growth wasn’t just about expanding operations—it was about creating something sustainable, trustworthy, and enduring in an industry that has faced more than its fair share of challenges.

Standing Strong Through Industry Challenges

The kratom world has seen its highs and lows. We’ve been there through every chapter:

  • 2005–2010: Introducing kratom to an online audience and building trust one customer at a time.
  • 2010–2015: Supporting advocacy efforts, including major donations to the American Kratom Association and botanical research initiatives.
  • 2015–2020: Weathering regulatory storms and standing firm in the face of attempted bans.
  • 2020–2025: Expanding responsibly while continuing to serve a passionate and growing community.

Every challenge strengthened our resolve. Every victory reaffirmed our belief in kratom’s potential to change lives.

Advocacy and Community Support

From the very beginning, advocacy has been central to who we are. We’ve proudly supported the American Kratom Association (AKA) and other botanical initiatives, helping ensure that kratom remains available and safe for responsible adults.

But advocacy goes beyond policy—it’s about people. It’s about making sure the voices of kratom consumers are heard, and that this community is represented fairly and honestly.

Gratitude for Our Customers

None of this would have been possible without you. Some of our customers have been with us since the very beginning—20 years of loyalty, trust, and shared passion for kratom. To you, and to every single person who has joined us along the way, we owe our deepest thanks.

Your support has allowed us to grow, to fight for kratom, and to continue offering the products you love. You are not just customers—you are part of the Phytoextractum family.

Looking Ahead

As we celebrate 20 years, we’re not just looking back—we’re looking forward. Our commitment to innovation, integrity, and community remains stronger than ever. The future of kratom is bright, and we are honored to continue leading the way with you by our side.

Here’s to the next 20 years.

A Brief History of Kratom in Malaysia

by

Malaysia is one of the first countries that people think of when they think about kratom exporting countries. After all, how many different types of kratom are there that are known as Malay strains? From Green Malay to other popular strains, there seems to be quite a lot of kratom coming from Malaysia.

Is that assumption made by most consumers, however, a true one?

What is the actual history of kratom in Malaysia, and what is its current status in that country today? With this brief history and guide, you’ll be able to learn more about just that. Let’s get started!

Growing Conditions For Kratom in Malaysia

The climate and land type in Malaysia make it a great place for kratom to grow, and that is why this deciduous, tropical tree has thrived there for a very long time. Some believe that it’s possible kratom has been growing in the land that would become Malaysia for more than a thousand years.

Kratom grows best in regions with rich, fertile soil. It does even better if that soil is nearly always wet, and those are the kind of conditions that can be found in Malaysia due to the long rainy season and high humidity. Because the climate and conditions are so good for kratom, the trees in that region can grow to be more than 60 feet tall and very wide. 

Of course, the kratom grown for export is not typically as tall because the industry is newer, but there are some kratom farms that have incorporated older trees as well.

History of Kratom Use & Legality In Malaysia

Kratom has been used by workers and people in Malaysia for more than one hundred years. First, it was used to relax and make the long, hard working days easier by chewing it or brewing a tea.

There were few official laws that acknowledged this use until 1952 when the Poisons Act of 1952 was passed in Malaysia. This act was the first time that a government in power in Malaysia attempted to control the use of this botanical. Included provisions fined people for possessing or processing kratom leaves.

Chief Usage

Kratom is mainly used in the northern regions of Malaysia that border with Thailand. In these areas, workers have used kratom for a long time to improve time at work and make a long day of labor easier to get through. 

Many kratom users in Malaysia use kratom at least three times a week.

Current Legal Status In Malaysia

Technically speaking, it is illegal to use kratom in Malaysia at this time. But why, then, is there such a high reported usage of it?

The simple fact of the matter is that the use of kratom is not highly regulated or monitored despite there being laws in place that could lead to such regulation. 

How, then, do kratom farms in Malaysia sell kratom?

Due to the way the laws are set up, kratom leaves can currently be exported from Malaysia as long as they are unprocessed. This means that leaves cannot be changed from their natural state. They must simply be harvested and exported, and there can be no domestic sales because kratom is illegal for personal use in Malaysia.

Additionally, the government does have some laws that allow farmers to get a license to grow kratom. To be able to export, you must have this license. Still, you still consume or sell within Malaysia itself.

For a brief period in 2015, there was serious debate within the Malaysian government about whether or not kratom should be banned completely and be criminalized more severely. Ultimately, this was not seen as necessary and the current law from 1952 remains in effect today.

The Future of Kratom in Malaysia

At this time, it is hard to predict what the future will bring in terms of laws about kratom in Malaysia. While there are some movements to further decriminalize its usage, the laws currently in place don’t seem to have a lot of influence. After all, many people in Malaysia do not see kratom as a negative thing, but they also don’t see the need to make it completely legal.

Most of the people who use kratom regularly in Malaysia are located in the northern regions where kratom grows, and they are the people most familiar with its effects. But these people are not being actively discouraged from continuing to use kratom in the traditional ways of their region, so they don’t have a reason to advocate for a change in the laws at this time.

It’s safe to say that the issue of legality of kratom in Malaysia may have affected its legality in other countries. If the demand for kratom in areas where it is legal to use continues to rise, it is possible that the Malaysia government will restructure how it handles the regulations of kratom exportation in order to make better profits.

Kratom: A Confusing Predicament

As you can see, there is a lot of confusion surrounding kratom, its history, and even its legal status in the countries where it is chiefly grown and exported. Though the history is complicated, it is still very interesting to find out more about Malaysian kratom and how it has come to the point it is at today.

Even if the rules in Malaysia change in the next few years, you can expect that kratom will not soon be forgotten by the Malaysians who will keep it in their cultural and historical beliefs!

All About CBD: A Brief History of Hemp

by

At this point in 2019, we have all heard of hemp before. Known by many names and often confused with marijuana, hemp has been around on the Earth for at least 10,000 years – and very likely for more years than that.

Most people think of hemp, they usually think of hemp’s cousin (marijuana, a colloquial term for cannabis with intoxicating psychoactive effects). They imagine these products to be more modern additions to the world because of the way they are presented in the media.

Remember, however, that marijuana and hemp are simply the two most well-known species of the same plant genus, cannabis. They are similar, but they have different compounds and characteristics that affect how they can and cannot be used.

Hemp is not a modern crop; the history of hemp goes back for longer than you can imagine!

What is the history of hemp, and how has that history shaped the way that hemp is seen and used today? Our brief walk through the history of hemp will present the key points so that you can gain a more complete understanding of this important plant.

Hemp’s World Arrival

Most scientists believe that hemp has been around for more than 10,000 years, and that is most likely true! Carbon dating suggests that hemp seeds and oils found are more than 10,000 years old, but there could be variation in that finding.

Hemp’s first traces were found in parts of modern day China and Taiwan, and those traces date all the way back to 8000 BCE! The remnants that have been found are hemp cords, and there is also some evidence that it was used as food as well.

When humans first transitioned to agricultural societies, it is very likely that hemp was one of the crops cultivated.

From the region where hemp first originated, it spread across the entire world. Other than in Asia, evidence of hemp has been found in Africa, Europe, and South America. It’s even mentioned in numerous religious texts as a kind of sacred and powerful crop. This makes a lot of sense because hemp was used to create many parts of life: shoes, paper, ropes, clothes, food, and more!

Moving Forward

Hemp would continue to be important across the world for the next few centuries. The uses and importance of hemp would not falter – and now we’re starting to see even more innovation in hemp products and applications.

For example, hemp oil and fiber were used through Henry VIII’s reign to help construct battleships, sails, pennants, and more. Hemp paper was also being used in Bibles, maps, documents, and more throughout history.

Early American Introduction

Hemp was brought to North America in 1606, and it has been a part of American life in one way or another since them. Like in other societies, hemp was used in American society to create rope, paper, lamp fuel, and more!

The founding fathers of America even touted the importance of hemp, and America’s Declaration of Independence was written by Thomas Jefferson on – you guessed it – hemp paper.

In fact, hemp was so important that farmers in some states were legally required to grow hemp on their land or they would face a fine. That fine (and other taxes) could even be paid with hemp as a form of currency!

Changes in the Early 1900s

Up until the early 1900s, hemp continued to be used largely in the same ways that it had always been used. While cannabis had popped up before 800 BCE in various texts, the primary benefits of hemp still had more to do with manufacturing and farming, not relaxation. Hemp has consistently been the more important and economically impactful crop of the two.

That is until the early 1900s in America. At this time, the US government was determined to cut down on drugs such as marijuana. Hemp was grouped in with this crop and was highly taxed after the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 was enacted. This nearly killed the hemp industry altogether.

Hemp For Victory

Things would remain this way until 1942, when they needed and encouraged 400,000 acres of hemp to be planted in order to help support America through the war. Check out this video that showed how hemp was promoted during wartime:

Most people today cannot imagine that the government would release such a film, and a large reason for that is because most people think that hemp is the same exact product as marijuana. While both plants are related, hemp is not cannabis, and they are not used in the same ways.

Post-War Decline

Once the war period ended, however, everything was reverted to the way that it was. Hemp was no longer OK to grow, and no new hemp farms would be started from 1957 until 2007. Hemp farmers had to find something else to do, and many filed for bankruptcy.

Hemp farms were officially outlawed along with the substance itself in 1970, and it would take more than 30 years for hemp to be released from the drug-fighting efforts of America.

Today

Today, food-grade hemp products are allowed to be sold in America, and there are hemp farms helping to create dietary hemp for body care, clothing, and textile products. In 2014, the Farm Bill allowed hemp cultivation as a research effort, and, more recently the cultivation of industrial hemp was federally legalized with the 2018 Farm Bill.

Understanding the importance of hemp on its own can help to explain why some people become outraged when people suggest that hemp seed oil and similar products are the same as marijuana, THC, or even CBD oil (CBD is a cannabinoid present in both hemp and marijuana, but it is extracted from hemp plant matter, not hemp seeds). All of these products have their own benefits, but they should not be confused for one another.

Hemp is a very important crop today as much as it has ever been. As the world changes and agriculture regains its importance in our world, the growth of the hemp industry can also be seen.

We’re excited to see how hemp will once again revolutionize the world in the 21st century!