With 2020 coming to an end, it’s nice to look back at some of the best innovations in cannabis packaging from their design to methodology. Many American brands have fewer restrictions on packaging, unlike many Canadian brands. The U.S. finalists for our Best Cannabis Packaging category have been able to successfully navigate the cannabis industry and create unique and memorable packaging. Now, Let’s explore some of the best cannabis packaging in the United States as voted by you, the ADCANN community.
Canlock
Founded in 2017, Canlock is a company that focuses mainly on cannabis preservation. Canlock is on the mission to become the industry standard for quality packaging. The company’s mantra is “to build products with equal form and function” as they expand into the marketplace. Their products are guaranteed to be smell-proof, durable, and reasonably priced. The website provides tons of information regarding Canlock products to help customers become educated on what they are buying and the science behind it.
Canlock has created a name for itself in the cannabis packing industry by creating a licensed single vacuum seal solution for cannabis manufacturers, dispensaries, and delivery services.
Canlock creates three different sizes of vacuum-sealed glass jars for storage. The company produces the Mini, the Stash, and the Stash+ that can store up to 11-14 grams or 10-15 joints. The Canlock jars have lids equipped with a built-in airlock pump that twists onto and off the jar. When the lid is pumped, a pressurized seal is created to prevent any smell perpetrating from the glass container. The brand’s products are convenient and smell-proof which is all one can ask when looking to store cannabis. The company’s packaging is sleek and simple, and the jars are customizable for each brand the company works with. The packaging is also great for dispensaries because of the shelf-life, keeping your cannabis 50 percent fresher than “traditional methods.”
”Being selected as a packaging design finalist by a first class organization like ADCANN is truly awe inspiring. Our glass Canlock Stash container was purposely built with Cannabis preservation in mind and to be recognized for all the hardwork really means alot to the team and I. In the coming year, we are excited about the potential for national legalization and we are gearing up our manufacturing and staff appropriately. We'll continue to support the mission of the Last Prisoner Project. It's our hope that the criminal injustice will come to an end soon.
Brandon Rea, Co-Founder, Canlock
Ozone
Ozone is an American brand and a part of the AWH cannabis line. The specific brand “Ozone” was debuted in 2019 in Michigan and Illinois markets, offering premium flowers, concentrates, and vapes. AWH is one of the largest privately-held U.S multi-state operators in the cannabis industry, operating in five states, which are limited license states east of the Rockies, with flagship locations serving key medical and recreational markets. High profile partners with Ozone include Cookies, 1906, and Airpro which offer more available retail opportunities to provide customers with the best cannabis products available. The brand also has a specialty Ozone brand called Ozone Reserve, which produces highly potent exotic flowers, refined concentrates, purified oils, resins, and distillates.
Ozone packages their flower in glass jars with grey being the brand’s main color for the packaging design. The brand has two lines of cannabis – Ozone and Ozone Reserve, which can be easily recognized by their unique packaging design. Ozone’s packaging is grey with their company slogan “elevate your experience,” and the brand name is in silver with the letter O being designed as a planet’s ozone layer. Ozone Reserve is packaged in blue with the same slogan and brand name design but with the addition of the word reserve. Each package uses a unique methodology for why they designed their brand’s packaging the way they did. The brand emphasizes its packaging’s futuristic look with the visual of beaming lights coming from the brand name, which ties back to the brand’s main method of design.
Lemonnade by Cookies
Lemonnade is the sister company of Cookies and was founded in 2015 by Berner and Brett Wilson. The brand is known for its collaborations with famous artists and personalities like Rick Ross, Michael Corleone, and Run The Jewels. Lemonnade sells a variety of Sativa “family-focused strains” for people looking for an upbeat and euphoric experience. The brand’s main focus is creating flavor-forward products with a signature look that is modern and memorable.
The brand is also well known for having unique strain names with its unique packaging design and colour schemes. Their main strain of cannabis called Lemonnade is the original breeder of all the other strains. The packaging is bright yellow with an actual lemon on the front; and with the use of a symbol, the brand has been able to create a cult-like following of customers. Each strain has a different flavour and it’s own design, however, every product is packaged with their signature logo. One strain, for example, the “Blanco,” has a spider on the packaging. The brand’s main colour scheme is yellow and black since most products seem to be packaged in either colour. Lemonnade is a brand you will not forget because of its packaging, which can be recognized a mile away. The brand’s packaging is based on a foundation of integrity, craft, experience, and respect, providing a cannabis experience of the highest potential.
Grenade Pre-Rolls by Napalm
If you like smoking massive joints, the Grenade Pre-Rolls by West Coast legend ‘X-to-the-Z’ Xzibit California cannabis brand, Napalm Cannabis Co, are for you. The brand’s premier product is its 8g Grenade Pre-Roll. The Grenade has already been praised by hip-hop legend and cannabis connoisseur Snoop-Dog. The brand strives to package Xzibit’s favorite California cannabis that is simple, luxurious, and affordable.
So how does the brand package it’s monster pre-roll? Well, they have a specific methodology is rolled with special papers from Lift Tickets. The rolling paper comes infused with potent live-resin terpenes that make for an extra delicious dose of flavor. The Pre-Rolls packaging is simple and memorable with an ornate glass grenade-shaped jar holding the joint with “Napalm,” which was written on the handle of the jar that was designed green with the brand name in orange. The pre-roll is packaged with 7 grams of premium flower and with one gram of live-resin mixed in and then rolled in the Lift Tickets papers. Each joint is packaged individually with care and has a glass mouthpiece designed so you don’t burn your mouth when you get to the end of the joint.
Stargazer Edibles
Stargazer Edibles is an award-winning, Oklahoma-based medical producer of high-end THC-infused chocolates, cookies, and ice cream products. The company has a strong focus on utilizing superior ingredients sourced locally to produce edibles of the highest quality. The brand invites customers to “Settle in, take a bite, and become one with the stars”.
Stargazer’s packaging is creative and meticulously designed. Each category of product they offer is sold in a different type of packaging, just like they would be at a grocery store. Their infused ice cream arrives in a 1pint black tub with a golden lid and accents. The strain and flavor are listed on the top of the lid while the tub itself is emboldened with a large “Stargazer” logo and Saturn-like planet design. Their chocolate bar and cookie products are sold in high-end branded bags that feature similar psychedelic, space-inspired designs, and patterns. The company utilizes a mixture of black and bright neon colors for their aesthetic.
”We’re thrilled beyond belief for Stargazer’s nomination. Naming and building this brand has been a dream job from day one, with a dream client full of creativity and inspiration, as well as deliciously out of this world ice cream, chocolate and cookies. The success and quick growth of Stargazer has proven to us that there’s a strong desire in the cannabis sector for unique, elevated branding and packaging, and our hope is that more cannabis brands choose to make the needed investment in top-notch, professional branding to raise the aesthetics and profile of the industry as we move closer to federal legalization.
Brian Winkeler, Founder + Principal Partner, Robot House
American Cannabis Packaging Design Trends
American cannabis companies can truly express their creativity when it comes to packaging. Some trends we’ve seen are:
1. Unique packaging shapes: Grenade pre-rolls by Napalm is one of the best examples of this. When all of your competitors are packed in the same tin or container, you can stand out by being different. Customers shopping in a retail environment would not be able to ignore a giant glass grenade sitting on the shelf next to a bunch of plain packaging.
2. Bright and recognizable colours: The success of Cookies brands including Lemonnade can be partially attributed to their well-defined, easily-recognizable brand elements. Cookies bags are bright blue while Lemonnade bags are bright yellow. Both of these colours and distinct and cannot be ignored on retail shelves. For a brand attempting to tap into hype culture, having brightly-coloured and identifiable packaging and merchandise is important.
3. Functionality: Packaging producers like CanLock offer smell-proof functionality and durability, which are tangible benefits that consumers are looking for. Brands like Ozone use glass jars to keep their cannabis as freshly preserved as possible. Your packaging has to look great, but it also has to function and perform optimally.
Which of these American cannabis companies has the best packaging design?
Last Updated on December 30, 2020 by ADCANN
