As much as they say it’s not fair to judge a book by its cover, in the competitive cannabis market, appearances matter, as consumers easily equate the quality, look, and feel of the packaging to the quality of the cannabis inside.
In some places, such as Canada, there are substantial restrictions on how cannabis can be packaged and labeled. However, in the United States, cannabis brands have been given relative freedom on how they express themselves through their packaging.
For new or emerging cannabis companies that are brand shopping for the best flexible packaging company, here are a few important considerations to ensure the right choice is made:
Universal Compliance
Until now, cannabis has been a state-by-state endeavor, but with the change in government, there is hope that federal legalization of cannabis may be on the horizon as more lawmakers call for the end of cannabis prohibition.
In the past, cannabis companies would focus on state-by-state compliance in their packaging and cannabis labelling ideas. Now, they’re opting for packaging and labeling that will meet a universal set of requirements while being able to be easily adapted for specific state or municipal regulations.
At a minimum, packaging should be child-proof, opaque, resealable, and odor-resistant, which will likely continue to be an across-the-board requirement if federal legalization were to come to fruition.
Type of Packaging
Any long-time user will agree that cannabis packaging has come a long way since the “baggie”. Packaging is an opportunity to appeal to the customer’s senses and draw them in through color, brand, and product integrity innovations.
Cannabis brands have to decide what type of packaging they want to be known for. Many companies provide cannabis in canisters or jars with sticker labels with only so much room to brand. These may be common options for cannabis companies, but they often leave the consumer with canisters that are difficult to dispose of and cause more waste. Both the stand-up pouch and the lay-flat pouch are becoming more popular because they allow 360-degree branding, with inviting color and brand attributes on every part of the surface area.
Aesthetic Style of Packaging
For brands with a strong logo and vision, the right flexible packaging company will be able to bring the aesthetic look and feel to fruition in a design that brings the brand to life.
Here are some commercial cannabis packaging ideas brands may want to think about in terms of style:
- Is the brand geared towards health (i.e. medicinal cannabis) or recreation (i.e. adult use)?
- How does the brand want to incorporate the cannabis leaf, or other elements of “cannabis culture” into the packaging?
- Is the brand more minimalist, and therefore will have a more simple packaging design, or is it a brand that wants to be noticed for its color and use of patterns?
Taking time to imagine how the brand’s products will look on the shelf will help brands narrow down the right cannabis package ideas for their products.
Track and Trace & Authentication Technologies
Everyone has likely heard of knock-off cosmetics and handbags, but may not know that there is a pervading problem with counterfeit cannabis as well. Popular brands have been targeted and have had their packaging and labeling replicated by dishonest companies who sell poor quality – and sometimes dangerous – products.
Cannabis companies are now working with their packaging companies to provide various track-and-trace or authentication technologies in their packaging, including serial numbers, holograms, and QR codes.
Brand Colors
Developed brands with dedicated brand colors will want to ensure that the packaging company can produce packaging that matches and enhances their color scheme.
Have a look at a company’s portfolio to see how they are able to integrate a brand’s colors into packaging. Companies that use digital printing on pouch-style packages can use color on every surface of their packaging, ensuring that their brand pops on the shelf.
Order Process & Minimum Orders
Many cannabis companies settle for standard packaging with interchangeable labeling because they offer a variety of products, flavors, cultivars (strains), or doses.
Some flexible packaging companies offer digital printing that allows that brand to run many impressions (units) with consistent branding, as well as various SKUs to meet the product variety. New and emerging cannabis brands often think that this level of detail on their packaging is only reserved for big brands, but several flexible packaging companies, like Seed & Seal, serve smaller- to medium-sized cannabis companies in all their packaging needs.
Discover Flexible Packaging for Cannabis Products
New cannabis companies want to have both a present and future vision for how regulations may possibly change, while finding a flexible packaging company that will be able to adapt with the brand through the changes.
Seed & Seal Packaging Company offers digital printing services to new, small, and medium sized companies that helps their packaging look and feel premium while meeting the necessary compliance regulations for packaging and labelling.
With our focus on small- and medium-sized cannabis businesses, brands don’t have to be “big brands” to access flexible packaging that can be adapted across product categories and varieties of product.
Reach out for a consultation today or request a quote to see if Seed & Seal is the right fit for your cannabis mylar packaging designs.
