Rolling Papers vs. Natural Leaf Wraps - Which Smokes Better?

Rolling papers have been a classic option for cannabis smokers for decades. For many of us, it was the way we were introduced to cannabis, and a joint rolled in rolling paper is one of the most iconic images of cannabis use. In fact, joints are the most popular method of consumption in the country, according to New Frontier Data.

But the blunt, the cannabis version of a cigar, ranks at No. 3. And as cannabis legalization spreads across the United States, pre-rolled joints and hemp-wrap pre-rolled blunts are becoming one of the most common ways to consume flower because of how easy they are to use and how easy they are to share, and because the hemp wrap provides a great, legal and nicotine-free substitute for classic tobacco wraps.

But in addition to hemp wraps, alternative leaf options like Cordia and Tendu palm leaves also started to gain popularity with several brands appearing in smoke shops and dispensaries around the country.

While pre-rolled cones don’t impact the taste of the flower, some smokers enjoy natural leaf blunts wraps because they add a robust flavor and smoke slower and usually feature fuller filters than the classic paper “w.”

But those palm leaf blunt tubes could be hiding a dangerous secret: pesticides, heavy metals and/or microbials. Because of that, Custom Cones USA – which tests all of our pre-roll products to ensure compliance – no longer offers palm leaf blunt cones. However, for fans of natural leaf blunts, there are still safe alternatives to palm leaves.

Let’s get into it.

What are Cordia Palm Leaf Blunt Wraps?

Natural leaves have been extremely popular internationally, with cured banana leaves being amongst the first ways humans smoked cannabis, tobacco, or other herbal products. However, the United States market has historically seen an absence of natural leaf smoking options other than tobacco leaf wraps—that is, until recreational cannabis started hitting the shelves, and cannabis producers began seeking ways to make their products stand out amongst their competition.

The Cordia leaf features a luscious dark green color and grow across southeast Asia. The high amount of chlorophyll results in an earthy taste being added to the smoking experience—in contrast to the curing process of cannabis and tobacco, which remove chlorophyll from the plant in order to improve the smoking quality. This is why tobacco goes from green to a shade of dark brown.

Because the leaf is thicker than traditional rolling papers, it smokes slower and produces a thicker smoke. A tube shape is incredibly popular for Cordia leaf wraps, as it gives the feel of a cigar and provides a luxury-feeling smoking experience that makes brands stand out among competitors who commonly use a cone shape for their pre-rolls.

What are Tendu Leaf Blunt Wraps?

Similar in feel to the Cordia leaf wrap is the Tendu leaf wrap. The Tendu tree is found widely across central India, and is commonly used for thin, hand-rolled tobacco cigarettes. Since the Tendu leaf is flexible, it does not crack as easily when dry, and the soft texture makes it an amazing leaf to use for rolling. The tendu leaf has taken the US cannabis market by storm and has been incredibly popular in areas like Germany, the Middle East, and Japan (largely using them to roll tobacco).

What is the Difference Between Tendu Leaf and Cordia Leaf?

The biggest difference between the Tendu leaf and the Cordia leaf is the way that they are cured and prepared for use. The Tendu leaf is toasted, removing chlorophyll and other plant components. This results in a lighter color of leaf, and a less prevalent taste to interfere with the taste of the flower.

The toasting and curing process can help eliminate pesticides that have accumulated on the leaves. This makes it easier for Tendu leaf wraps to pass strict testing for recreational cannabis markets, but it will not affect issues related to heavy metals. Additionally, the curing process also makes Tendu leaf wraps more malleable and workable than the drier, more brittle Cordia leaf wraps.

Contamination Issues in Natural Leaf Wraps

The cannabis industry is highly regulated, so producers are required to follow strict testing guidelines when it comes to things like pesticides, heavy metals, and microbials. This ensures that the consumers can trust that what they are consuming is free from harmful contaminants, but, in most markets, it’s only the cannabis that is required to go through this type of testing.

Rolling paper manufacturers, however do not have testing requirements. And since it is common to find natural leaf paper products that have pesticides on the leaves and heavy metals absorbed from soil the plant was grown in, consistently sourcing clean palm leaf products can be difficult.

Also, because they are made with unrefined organic material, they are more likely to have issues with mold when compared to refined papers. This is also true of the corn husk filters that often come with these wraps.

In fact, in 2022, the Colorado Medical Enforcement Division issued a recall for several palm leaf products, which were found to contain unsafe mold and yeast levels. That came on the heels of a 2021 report from California-based SC Labs that found several rolling paper and palm wrap brands failing testing for pesticides, including some of the biggest names in the business.

In addition, the corn husk filters found in many palm leaf blunt products are still an unsafe option, as they can often contain microbials, which will make you fail testing and could make you and your customers seriously ill. Since the cornhusk material is natural and contains moisture, once rolled up in a tight filter, this creates a breeding ground for mold and other harmful microbials.

Custom Cones USA tests all of its products to the highest standards in the industry for pesticides, heavy metals and microbials and we found it difficult to source palm leaf products that would consistently pass testing. Because of that, we made the difficult decision to pull these products from our warehouse. The safety of your customers and the viability of your brand is just too important to risk.

So if “natural” and “organic” are things you care about, be sure you are checking to see if the natural leaf blunt wraps you are consuming have been tested for contaminants.

Uniformity Issues in Natural Leaf Wraps

One of the benefits of refined rolling papers is their uniformity. They can be made to measure and weigh almost exactly the same, which is important when it comes to pre-roll production. Weight is another important compliance issue, and when you can’t rely on your pre-rolled wrap to weigh the same, it makes verifying the weight of each problematic.

Also, when you are working with pre-roll filling machines, you need products to fit specific parameters. When there is too much variance between the unfilled cones/tubes, they won’t fit properly in the machines, or they will fill unevenly. Cordia Leaves and Tendu Leaves grow in a variety of sizes, so there is a large variability in the size of the blunt tubes. This means that some tubes may not fit into certain filling machines.

If you want to avoid the headaches associated with finding clean natural leaf rolling papers, hemp wrap blunts are a great alternative. Like natural leaves, they are thicker than standard rolling papers, they create a more premium look for pre-rolled joints, and they burn slower. They will also dry out and crack easier than refined rolling papers, so it is important to keep them properly humidified when working with them.

Unlike natural leaves, the hemp wrap blunts are processed in a way that makes them less susceptible to mold and makes it easy to create uniform products. It is also easier to find hemp material that is free from heavy metals and pesticides. In short, hemp wrap blunts give you all the benefits of natural leaf papers without any added drawbacks.

Custom Cones USA has also developed a special hybrid hemp wrap that uses more hemp fibers in the mix and removing the reliance on water bonds, so the hybrid hemp wraps won’t dry out and crumble as quickly as traditional hemp wraps might.

For producers looking for other blunt alternatives, there is always botanical blunt cones and tubes, like Tea Leaf blunts. Made with from chamomile with traces of cocoa and vanilla for a subtle and unique flavor profile, these botanical pre-rolled blunt tubes offer a unique smoking experience, rich in flavor and slow-burning. You can our tea leaf wraps in cones with a standard “w” filter or in tubes with either a paper spiral filter or an embedded glass bullet filter tip to cool the smoke while leaving the natural feel of the wrap on the lips.

We also have goji berry blunt cones, with a striking orange color and slightly fruity taste.

In short, there’s a reason we don’t sell palm leaf products in the Custom Cones USA store anymore. Our hemp wrap blunts are guaranteed to be free of pesticides and heavy metals, and with the proper care, they can easily stay free from mold and work with pre-roll filling machines. This means you get a product that is better quality and can be made quicker!

If you have questions about how you can take your pre-rolled blunt production pre-rolled blunt production to the next level, reach out to our Pre-Roll Experts, and they will walk you through everything you need to know!