As Cannabis products become legal in more and more states, the market is getting more crowded every day. That means you have to work harder than ever to stand out in the market. And since your products are already top notch, the next best place to approve is in your Cannabis Packaging strategy. 

Whether you consider yourself the Chanel of Concentrate or you’re more of a Cheech and Chong fan, find the up and coming trends, below.

Discreet Packaging

As people in the cannabis industry, we face a unique challenge. Many of our clients don’t want to be seen using cannabis products, for personal reasons, and would like product packaging to be discreet. However, the industry also has a duty to clearly label our products so they aren’t mistakenly ingested by children or other sensitive populations. 

Thankfully, much of the responsibility in this arena lies (legally) with the dispensary or retail establishment itself. In most states, they are required to package items in child-safe containers before the customers can leave the store. 

But some are not all, and we are still responsible for adding warning labels to individual products. So, how can we walk this line while still keeping our packaging stylish and establishing a brand? 

One option is to take inspiration from high-end products in the same realm that do not contain Cannabis. Take the Glossier line or something like “The Ordinary”. These are skincare products that also need warning labels on them, but have high-end packaging and appearances. You can see the resemblance between Glossier’s block color scheme and Select by Potency. 

After all, imitation is the highest form of flattery. 

Use Luxury Finishes 

Another way to keep high-end clients happy is to spend the extra money on metallic finishes, high-quality packaging ingredients, and to embrace the idea of making each product an “experience”. 

For example, take the non-cannabis couture brand Chanel. The cheapest thing on their website is a pack of cotton pads, the kind you would use to remove makeup, and they cost approximately $20. Chanel doesn’t just throw these cotton pads in a mailer and seal it up. They get the exact same packaging treatment as a $10,000 bag would – tissue paper, double-boxing, wax seal, and all. 

If you’re marketing to high-end clients, who are likely used to ordering things like $10,000 bags, try to make your packaging just one aspect of an experience. If this is your clientele, make every purchase feel like they’re opening up a present to themselves. 

Add embossing details, play with matte and gloss packaging, include samples of your personalized products (like brand-specific rolling papers). 

Brands who do this well in the Cannabis industry include Bloom Farms by Pavement and Serra by OMFGCo. 

Outsource Your Designs 

Brands from Coca-Cola to Crocs know the power of the ‘limited edition” marketing ploy. Both brands have partnered with famous and upcoming artists, asking them to design something specifically for their brand and then only running those items for a short amount of time. 

Not only does this make their brand stand out, but it also shows the customer that the company is invested in the arts, and it makes these products somewhat of a collector’s item. 

Find local street artists in your area, if you focus on local customers, or reach out to one you’ve always admired. Ask your customers who their favorite upcoming artists are – and just reach out. The worst they can say is no, then you can move on to the second option on your list. 

And yes – you will be expected to pay them for their design. The offer of exposure only goes so far. 

Get in on the Joke 

Some companies have bypassed the idea of being discreet altogether and have embraced cannabis stereotypes. Again, we can look at the non-cannabis restaurant brand Cheeba Hut as an example. Cheeba Hut makes sandwiches – they don’t sell cannabis products. But they know their audience is mostly high college kids. So they named their sandwiches things like “white widow”, “Thai Sticky”, and other well-known weed strands. 

Their decor follows the same idea. You’ll find hand-painted murals on their walls that look like they could only have been born from a drug-fueled trip. 

If you appreciate this cultural relevance, don’t take yourself too seriously. Embrace the stereotype of stoner culture, be “extra” as the kids say – but make sure your product quality far outperforms your “shitposting” packaging style. 

Can’t find any vendors that match the packaging you want? Check out our range of customizable products, here. 

Integrate your Product into Your Design 

Imagine a bag of popcorn that has a corncob design on it, but the part where the corn would be is clear. The popcorn appears to be the “corn” and integrates itself into the design. 

Of course, this product packaging idea depends on the type of cannabis product you’re selling. If you’re selling a single pre-rolled joint, you could use a cylindrical package, that’s clear until the tip, where there’s artistic detail making it look like the top of the pre-roll is lit, and the bottom portion is a filter. 

Make it Helpful

Do you know that a number of your clients are new to smoking or using cannabis products? Why not design something like your own custom rolling papers that have directions on how to roll a joint printed on them? Fold here, stuff here, twist here – etc. 

That way you’ve not only provided the client a product they need, but you’re delivering valuable information to them as well.

When it comes to custom packaging, the only limit is your creativity. 

Top Design Trends in Cannabis Packaging 

When it comes to deciding what packaging you want for your products, you need to consider who your clients are, who you are as a brand, and what your budget for packaging is. While you can change packaging courses in the future, that may damage your brand integrity. 

If you have ideas you want to implement but don’t know who to turn to, contact us – we custom make items and would love to make your Cannabis packaging dreams a reality. Start the creation process, here.