Have you ever wondered whether the cannabis industry’s claims of sustainability, including the ever-popular claims of sustainable packaging, are true? It’s a fair question to ask. Brands are always talking about becoming more sustainable, and while customers want to see it, very little action follows.

So, how did we get here, and what can we actually do to become more sustainable? Let’s unpack it. 

How Did We Get Here?

The challenges of having sustainable packaging are not unique to the cannabis industry. All CPG industries are struggling to become more sustainable to meet stakeholder demands.

In the cannabis industry, it’s even more challenging for two main reasons. Regulators often require resealable child-resistant (CR) packaging, limiting the sustainable packaging options available. Two, the amount of regulatory information required often results in overpackaging. These issues, combined with companies’ natural urge to get to market quickly, compound to create the perfect storm of unsustainable packaging. 

So, What Is Sustainable Packaging?

According to Oxford, sustainable means “able to be maintained at a certain rate or level.” Some of the sustainable packaging products available today meet that definition, while others don’t. Packaging made from tin is widely considered to be sustainable, yet aluminum, steel, and other metals are finite resources. 

At Contempo Packaging, we consider sustainable packaging to be packaging that is making progress in one or more environmental issues, whether it’s the ocean plastic crisis, reducing emissions, water conservation, or anything else that a brand deeply cares about. 

Our goal is to protect the planet and take practical steps to create a better future instead of just talking about it. We do not let perfection stand in the way of good. 

How To Actually Make A Difference

So, how can you be different and actually make a positive change, possibly inspiring others to do the same?

You need to get practical, and practicality involves several factors.

First, there’s the cost. Can you afford to pay more? Your initial response would probably be “No” because that is how we have all been conditioned. However, let’s discuss it based on your product's retail price point. Even a $5 pre-roll could improve its packaging by using a 25% ocean-bound plastic pop top instead of a virgin plastic pop top. You’ll be paying roughly 2-3 cents more to make this change.

You may still say, “But that 2-3 cents matters because the margin is so tight.” While that might be true, 2-3 cents is not your problem. It is extremely difficult to sell an undifferentiated product that is completely similar to your competitors’. Perhaps telling a sustainability story strengthens your overall positioning, and sales will follow.

If your product retails from $50 to $100 or more, you have a greater margin to work with. How much more market share can you win by investing in sustainable packaging? Modern science can prove what we have long suspected: We do not make all our buying decisions based on pure logic. Therefore, sustainable packaging can be a powerful marketing lever that cannabis brands can and should utilize.

There is something that every brand can do to go sustainable if they choose. If you are selling the $5 pre-roll, then no, a $0.50 aluminum tube doesn’t make sense because you cannot afford it. But that is not the situation most of our customers find themselves in.

The second factor is performance – whether the sustainable packaging can keep the product fresh and whether it meets child-resistant testing requirements. These are very real concerns that should be considered when choosing a cannabis packaging supplier.

What Sustainable Cannabis Packaging Options Exist Today

Many packaging suppliers engage in “greenwashing,” which is simply making something seem sustainable when it is not. At Contempo Packaging, we are against greenwashing and ensure that our packaging tackles one or more environmental challenges.

I will highlight a few of our favorite sustainable cannabis packaging options, and you can see more of my suggestions here.

On the more cost-effective side, we offer pop tops and Industry Jars made from 25% to 100% ocean-bound plastic. We also offer home compostable pouches to keep pre-rolls fresh inside our All Metal CR Locking Tins. Most child-resistant tins combine tin and plastic, making them unrecyclable. The Locking Tin has become a gold standard in sustainable cannabis packaging.

We are also pioneering a compostable refill pod system to be used with some of our most popular CR containers. The pod is made from a vetted home-compostable resin and includes a single-use CR foil lid. On repeat purchases, the consumer would bring their original container back to the store and receive a new compostable pod to go inside the package they brought back. This would solve a common consumer pain point: They receive many of the same packages again and again, whereas our compostable pod creates almost no waste (just the foil seal).

Many sustainable packaging options are available, but you want to choose a company that is trying to help you win in the marketplace, not simply sell its packaging. You will find that many packaging companies are eager to put a sustainable spin on their products rather than actually develop what they believe is best for the planet. Ultimately, you will need to use your critical thinking skills to make sure you are making a wise choice rather than just listening to what you are being told. As a final word of caution, avoid packaging marketed as “biodegradable” unless the packaging is also certified compostable. This is very common in the packaging business, and you could find yourself under fire from consumers or even legally.

Your Move

In 2019, I published the Green Cannabis Packaging Series on YouTube where I was starting to develop my ideas around how to make the cannabis packaging industry more sustainable.

Today, I am more confident than ever that this industry will be a leader and pioneer in the shift to sustainable packaging in all CPG categories.

The cannabis industry covers food, cosmetics, hardware, and more. If we make the cannabis industry a positive example of sustainable packaging, other industries can simply copy what we have done.

We can either change the world or continue to talk. The future is in our hands.