Packaging designed to make first impressions last
Packaging is an eternal puzzle, especially in heavily regulated industries and even more especially when those industries are undergoing seismic shifts in demographics and legal status. Not only must containers protect the product inside, but they also must convey information about safe use and storage. They also may need to adhere to state-specific labeling mandates and be child-proof and/or senior-friendly.
But there’s more to packaging than mechanics and regulatory prescriptions. Perhaps the most obvious aspect of a product’s outer trappings in the branding opportunity they present. Consumers judge products by their packaging, which can convey the product’s position in the market: luxury, mid-grade, or “affordable.”
Boxes, bags, jars, and bottles also say something about the companies behind them, beckoning to shoppers by resonating with social, political, or lifestyle beliefs. Colors, textures, shapes, and graphic details all play roles in “speaking” to definable consumer groups.
Putting all these elements together into a finished product that meets brand objectives, regulatory mandates, consumer preferences, and budget considerations is no small task. That’s why packaging designers and manufacturers must be part engineer, part marketing guru, part legal analyst, and part accounting wizard. As the cannabis industry matures, packaging companies are refining their offerings to appeal to specific brand segments, often specializing in areas like sustainability, complex projects, domestic manufacturing. and quick service.
The following five companies have devoted customer bases built on decades of practicing their craft.
Sana Packaging
For nearly a decade, Sana Packaging has put sustainability at the heart of its operations. Devoted to helping create a circular economy, the company designs and develops packaging from plant-based, reclaimed, and recyclable materials, including ocean-bound plastics and post-consumer recycled paper and glass. Because Sana’s products are made in the United States, they not only support domestic agriculture and manufacturing but also avoid tariffs and international supply-chain disruptions. All jars, tubes, boxes, bags, and plastic “tins” are customizable and may be direct-printed or labeled with sustainable inks.
- Employs reclaimed ocean-bound plastic.
- Materials include post-consumer recycled paper and glass, along with plant-based products.
- Made in the USA.
- Custom labeling solutions.
- Short lead times.
LeafLocker
Specializing in complex paperboard containers for vapes, concentrates, pre-rolls, and edibles, MillRock Packaging’s LeafLocker division serves some of the most well-known brands in the industry. Most require highly specialized printing processes, and many package designs feature innovative closure mechanisms that enhance security without compromising aesthetic appeal. Unusual shapes, laser and custom die-cutting, foil-stamping, embossing, and special inks and coatings all are de rigeuer for the company. LeafLocker creates almost no landfill waste thanks to a robust recycling program, uses wind energy in manufacturing, and is certified to Sustainable Forestry Initiative and Forest Stewardship Council standards.
- Specializes in complex paperboard containers.
- Offers highly specialized printing processes.
- Features innovative closure mechanisms.
- Employs unusual shapes, laser and custom die-cutting, foil-stamping, embossing, and special inks and coatings.
- Robust recycling program.
- Uses wind energy in manufacturing.
- Certified to Sustainable Forestry Initiative and Forest Stewardship Council standards.
CannaCarton
As a division of mainstream packaging powerhouse CartonCraft Inc., CannaCarton continues its parent company’s thirty-five-year tradition of meticulous attention to detail for highly regulated industries. The company benefits from its parent’s existing domestic supply chain, relationships with select overseas suppliers, and large on-hand collection of stock bottles, jars, and components in six regional warehouses. Combining a strict focus on regulatory compliance, custom-tailored design work, and sustainable onshore manufacturing, CannaCarton offers surprisingly rapid turnaround times — sometimes in as little as ten to fifteen days.
- Part of mainstream packaging powerhouse CartonCraft Inc.
- Meticulous attention to detail for highly regulated industries.
- Benefits from parent company’s existing domestic supply chain.
- Relationships with select overseas suppliers.
- Large on-hand collection of stock bottles, jars, and components in six regional warehouses.
- Strict focus on regulatory compliance.
- Custom-tailored design work.
- Sustainable onshore manufacturing.
- Rapid turnaround times (as little as 10-15 days).
CannaZip
Although CannaZip can customize cartons, tins, bottles, and tubes, the company’s real strength is creating tailor-made flexible packaging. Crafted from high-barrier materials that conform to local regulatory mandates and can meet Food & Drug Administration food-contact regulations, each bag or pouch is custom-printed to the client’s specifications. A team of in-house designers is available to assist with graphics, labels, and shrink sleeves. Low minimum order quantities, turnaround times as fast as twenty-four to forty-eight hours, and eco-friendly options for many containers make the company popular with brands facing tight deadlines.
- Can customize cartons, tins, bottles, and tubes.
- Strength is creating tailor-made flexible packaging.
- Crafted from high-barrier materials.
- Conforms to local regulatory mandates.
- Meets FDA food-contact regulations.
- Custom-printed bags and pouches.
- In-house designers for graphics, labels, and shrink sleeves.
- Low minimum order quantities.
- Fast turnaround times (as little as 24-48 hours).
- Eco-friendly options.
Vibe Packaging
Founded by packaging-industry veterans in 2018, Vibe offers custom and stock containers “that speak to hearts, minds, and markets.” An in-house design team can help take projects from raw idea through graphic design and container prototyping to production of creative, cost-conscious, and eco-friendly finished products. Premium materials and finishes are available, and the team is compliance-focused. Vibe produces everything from labels to flat and standup pouches, mailers, tubes, jars, folding cartons and rigid paperboard boxes, and even point-of-purchase displays.
- Founded by packaging-industry veterans in 2018.
- Offers custom and stock containers.
- In-house design team (raw idea to production).
- Creative, cost-conscious, and eco-friendly products.
- Premium materials and finishes.
- Compliance-focused.
- Produces labels, pouches, mailers, tubes, jars, folding cartons, rigid paperboard boxes, and point-of-purchase displays.
