The Best Cannabis Packaging to Make Your Products Stand Out

Cannabis product packaging needs to capture your customers’ attention, keep your product safe from damage, and keep your company in legal compliance. Here’s everything you need to know about selecting the best cannabis packaging for your products – and the best marijuana packaging companies to work with.

Appearance and Branding

First impressions do matter, and exterior packaging is your customers’ very first encounter with your product. Everything from your logo to the finish of your packaging affects the feelings evoked in would-be buyers. Legal cannabis branding has begun trending away from cliche “stoner” imagery (such as enormous pot leaves and Rastafarian-inspired color schemes), currently embracing an overall vibe of luxury and exclusivity. Luxury marijuana packaging tends to be either clean and minimalistic or over-the-top fancy – but made from noticeably high-quality materials in both cases. Medical cannabis packaging features clean and minimalist design elements, with the focus placed on the relief the product promises.

Child Safety Compliance

The primary liability concern facing the legal marijuana industry is ensuring that cannabis stays out of the hands of minors. It’s necessary that all child-proof packaging complies with United States Federal Code 16 CFR 1700, which governs poison prevention packaging. However, every state has its own additional rules, regulations, and warning label requirements for marijuana products, and these rules are revised often.

The goal of child-resistant cannabis packaging is to be significantly difficult for children under five years old to open, yet not difficult for most able-bodied adults (including seniors or others who may have limited manual strength). Ideally, cannabis packaging should be user-friendly and appealing enough that consumers will continue storing any unused cannabis inside, instead of transferring it to another (less child-resistant) container. Other child safety cannabis packaging measures include the use of opaque containers (particularly for edible products resembling childhood favorites like cookies or candy) and artwork/color schemes designed with care not to appeal to children or teens.

Sustainability

Another trend in the legal cannabis market is the use of sustainable, environmentally-friendly packing wherever possible. Eco-conscious consumers are more likely to buy if the packaging also looks eco-friendly (made of wood, glass, or recycled cardboard, for example). Popular sustainable packaging materials include:

• Glass: One of the simplest materials to recycle and carries the consumer appeal of being reusable.
• High-density polythene plastic (HDPE): BPA-free, doesn’t leach chemicals into soil, and widely accepted by most recycling facilities.
• Polypropylene plastic: Recyclable, lightweight, dishwasher-safe, and naturally mold-resistant.

Types of Marijuana Packaging

Beyond looking attractive and keeping children safe, cannabis packaging must protect its contents from the elements and preserve potency and shelf-life. Ideal cannabis packaging is sturdy, tamper-evident, and an effective barrier against moisture, UV exposure, and other contaminants. “Smell-proof” packaging is widely preferred.

Flexible vs. Rigid Packaging

Marijuana packaging options fall into two categories, flexible and rigid packaging. Rigid packaging (such as glass, metal, or plastic) is sturdy, keeps the product well-protected, and is often reusable. However, bags and pouches are a flexible option with many benefits of their own. Bags designed for cannabis products are difficult to rip or puncture, cheaper than most rigid materials, take up less storage space, and require less energy to transport. Even when these bags are not recyclable, they are typically biodegradable.

The Best Marijuana Packaging by Product Type

Pre-Rolls

Cannabis pre-roll packaging protects joints from damage while sealing odor in, capitalizing on the discreet portability that makes pre-rolls so appealing. The most popular cannabis pre-roll packaging is individual smell-proof pop-top tubes. However, pre-rolls can be also be packaged in child-resistant slider boxes or triangular tube-shaped boxes. Packing multiple pre-rolls into bags is an option, but it’s still best practice to place each individual joint inside a protective plastic tube if you go this route.

Concentrates

Childproof glass, silicone, acrylic, or polystyrene jars are the ideal packaging for most cannabis concentrates. Containers with rounded corners ensure that all of the oil, wax, or shatter inside is reachable – an important consumer selling point. To add branding and flair to your product presentation, customized secondary cardboard packaging can be designed to contain concentrate jars.

Flower

Top marijuana flower packaging options include smell-proof bags or child-resistant glass tubes or jars. As flower can be particularly pungent, and susceptible to damage through exposure to the elements, packaging that is both airtight and resealable is especially important.

Edibles

The cannabis edibles market includes a huge range of products, from traditional weed brownies to CBD honey sticks and cannabis-infused beverages. Edibles packaging options include FDA-approved food-grade wrappings for single-serving products as well as jars, tins, bags, pouches, bottles, and boxes for larger quantities. Edibles packaging should be resealable if more than one serving is inside. Edible CBD products for pets can be packaged similarly to edibles intended for human consumption.

Vape Pens and Cartridges

Child-resistant cardboard slider boxes are a popular cannabis packaging option with a wide range of customization options. Blister (clamshell) packaging is another durable and cost-effective choice for vape pens, cartridges, and other e-liquid products. To set your vape cartridges apart from the crowd, some cannabis packaging companies even offer to screenprint or laser-etch your logo or other insignia directly onto each cartridge.

Medical Marijuana Products

Medical marijuana packaging for products such as ingestible oils, tinctures, gelcaps, and topical salves tends to be similar to that of conventional medical products. Prescription-style plastic or glass tubes or jars are ideal for gel caps. Some marijuana packaging companies also offer sheets into which each gelcap is individually sealed.

Glass or plastic jars are popular choices for salves and lotions. Oils and tinctures may be packaged in opaque glass bottles or vials with child-resistant droppers or syringes to ensure correct dosage. These bottles or vials can be packaged inside an attractive cardboard box or tube, allowing plenty of space for your branding imagery. Syringes or droppers may be packaged separately, in tubes similar to those used for pre-rolls.

Cannabis Seeds

Marijuana seed packaging must be airtight, sealed, and opaque, keeping light and moisture out and preventing the chance of premature germination inside the packaging. Cannabis seeds may be sold in mylar bags or pouches, or in resealable glass jars or bottles.

Exit Bags

Exit bags- the bags cannabis products leave the dispensary in after purchase – are an important element of dispensary packaging. Depending on the state, dispensary exit bags may be held to criteria such as being child-resistant, sealable, and opaque. This extra measure keeps dispensary purchases discreet and less appealing to minors.

The Cannabis Packaging Ordering Process

If you already know exactly what you’re looking for, it is possible to simply fill your online cart and place a cannabis packaging order yourself. However, most cannabis packaging companies offer in-depth assistance to ensure your complete satisfaction. Via a telephone or online consultation, you’ll have the opportunity to discuss your specific products and packaging needs with a design consultant and get a price quote. Most companies will offer to send product samples before you place an order, so you can get a feel for the quality of the packaging. Samples are typically free, but there may be a shipping fee.

Most marijuana packaging companies offer some type of customization or design services. So whether you need assistance building a new brand from scratch or simple advice on the best spot to place your logo on the box, you’ll get an experienced second pair of eyes on your project. If you already have an established logo and branding aesthetic, you’ll be able to upload your own images directly through the packaging company’s website. Once your cannabis packaging design is finalized, you’ll be all set to place your order.

Marijuana Packaging Costs

As with most things, marijuana packaging supplies are typically cheapest if you buy in bulk. Cannabis packaging supplies are sold by the carton, though if you wish to do a special limited-edition run of a product, you may be able to order a smaller quantity of specially designed packaging. Ordering cannabis packaging supplies from USA-based manufacturers may reduce your shipping costs, while suppliers who import from China may be able to get a lower price per piece.

It’s not uncommon for USA cannabis packaging companies to offer a marijuana packaging discount code if you sign up for their mailing list. Some marijuana packaging companies offer free or discounted shipping promotions. Many companies also provide financing options to creditworthy customers.

How Quickly Does Cannabis Packaging Ship?

Lead times on marijuana packaging orders can be anywhere from a few days to a few weeks from the time of the order. Cannabis packaging supply shipping in the USA is typically handled by major carriers like UPS, FedEx, DHL, or USPS. Customized products will naturally require additional lead time.

Our Recommended Cannabis Packaging Companies

If you’re ready to find the perfect packaging for your own company’s cannabis products, our marijuana packaging reviews will help you figure out where to start. We trust and highly recommend the following USA marijuana packaging companies: