To reach target audiences, cannabis retailers must consistently provide quality products, educate the consumer and grab their attention with the right design. Custom cannabis packaging is crucial to your brand’s success — it’s the first thing customers see, and you want to create a strong first impression.
Here are seven tips for cannabis packaging that can push your brand to new heights within this rapidly growing retail environment.
Primary packaging for the cannabis industry includes bottles, jars, tubes, vials, tins and bags. Freestanding cannabis containers are relatively similar in shape and size across all brands, so it’s essential to set yourself apart from the competition with custom elements. While your custom cannabis packaging doesn’t need to be the loudest, your brand must stand out on the shelf.
Experiment with fonts, colors and the type of primary packaging to create a look that is entirely your own. An eye-catching label or custom print directly on your packaging will increase customer appeal. Create a variety of high-quality products with unique but unified packaging designs. Utilize cohesive branding across all your products to improve brand awareness and build trust in your target customers. The right packaging creates a solid first impression that consumers will remember the next time they go to purchase.
All dispensaries are legally required to lock up their cannabis products for safety and security. Expect your products to be kept behind glass in these environments, and make the most of your restricted real estate. Maximize shelf presence with compact and highly graphic cannabis packaging to create a compelling retail display despite the limited space.
Whether you’re refreshing your brand or starting a new product line, consider surveying the current trends and innovations within the cannabis industry. Incorporate ideas that have worked for others, but don’t be afraid to experiment. The sector’s quick growth and consumer interest make it even easier to push your brand ahead with just a few adjustments to the design.
Due to the continued growth of the cannabis industry, the safety and regulatory labeling laws are also ever-changing. Cannabis products may have different requirements from year to year, and you must update your packaging regularly to meet the new or revised regulations. Different states can also have different labeling requirements, so you must ensure you’re following the correct laws for your state.
When new safety and regulatory labeling laws are made, you want to avoid having unusable packaging inventory on your hands. In today’s marketplace, creating quality and affordable digital print has become a significant advantage for various packaging materials. You can order labels in the exact quantities needed for your current supply. When labeling requirements change, update the digital graphics file before your next order — no more label orders with high minimum volumes or high-cost print plates that need constant replacing.
In addition to labeling laws, you must also stay up to date with all rules and regulations for cannabis production and distribution. Legal requirements will differ between states. However, since federal law prohibits cannabis from traveling outside the state where it’s grown, you won’t need to delve into the laws of other states. Take time to occasionally review your state’s legal requirements to ensure your cannabis products remain compliant.
When choosing your custom cannabis packaging, the materials might need to accomplish several legal requirements. Proper seals are often required to protect your product — think of a bottle or bag that can open and close multiple times. Additionally, cannabis packaging designs must also make it immediately evident when someone has tampered with the product. As mentioned above, all dispensaries must keep their cannabis products locked up behind glass, but tamper-proof seals are still necessary to ensure products are safe to sell.
Tamper-proof seals and child-proof seals are significantly different, and many states require your packaging for cannabis-based products to have both. According to the Poison Prevention Packaging Act, the cannabis industrial sector requires all cannabis products to be packaged in child-resistant packaging. Child-resistant cannabis packaging is designed to be significantly difficult for children to open while not making it too challenging for typical adult use.
Many consumers want product packaging that is sustainable. In a survey conducted in 2019, about 83% of respondents said it was “important or extremely important” for companies to design more environmentally friendly products. This sustainable mindset has only grown to encompass everything from the product to its packaging.
Today’s businesses must adopt a more sustainable and environmentally conscious outlook, especially for the cannabis industry. Your audience will notice keywords like sustainable, raw and organic. They will appreciate designs that convey a sustainable mindset, with muted colors and less ink usage. But consumers don’t just want to associate your brand with the idea of sustainability. They want to know your company is doing what it can to make a global impact. They want genuinely sustainable product packaging.
Recyclable packaging materials and less waste during manufacturing are essential factors in many consumers’ buying decisions. That’s why we use green materials for our custom cannabis packaging solutions. When your packaging is designed and constructed with sustainability in mind, you can appeal to more of your target audience.
Take advantage of the industry’s rapid growth, and experiment with your labels and packaging to find the best ways to connect with consumers. Digital print makes it relatively easy to switch up your shelf presentation. Discover what resonates with your audience by adjusting your product personalization and artwork.
Custom cannabis packaging also helps you create the ultimate unboxing experience for your customers. Your cannabis containers should be well protected yet simple enough for the typical adult to open. The right design can also tell your brand’s story at a glance. Build trust with your customers by providing quality products with innovative packaging that conveys your brand identity. Your labels and packaging could be what gets them to choose your cannabis-based product over a competitor’s.
The marijuana leaf has quickly become a stereotypical design element within the cannabis industry. However, it’s often unnecessary to emphasize your cannabis products with such blatant imagery. Most consumers are already aware your product is cannabis-based because that’s what they want. They don’t need stereotypical imagery or a traditional color scheme to let them know what they are buying.
If you can create a design that incorporates the cannabis leaf boldly and uniquely, it might be worth considering to inspire a particular mood. Generally, you will have greater success when you stay away from these designs from the start. The goal is to stand out on the shelf, and avoiding traditional design choices makes it significantly easier to create a strong brand identity in the marketplace.
Choose custom cannabis packaging tailored to your brand’s goals and designed with your customers in mind. Providing quality cannabis products is only part of building a successful business. You also need packaging that appeals to consumers, getting them to pick your brand over all others on the shelf. The ability to customize your cannabis packaging opens the door to more opportunities for customer conversion in one of the world’s most competitive and fastest-growing industries.
At Innovative Packaging Company (IPC), we offer fully customized options for packaging and labels to help you revolutionize the cannabis industry. Our process takes you from the design phase to the final cannabis packaging product, with optimal design services, just-in-time delivery and affordable warehousing solutions. Complete our request a quote form to see what we can do for your business, or contact us online with any questions about cannabis packaging products today.
Request a Quote