The Importance of Proper Storage for Your Pre-Rolls

The Importance of Proper Packaging for Your Pre-Rolls

When cannabis is harvested, growers go to painstaking lengths to properly dry and cure their flower. This process ensures that the terpenes are preserved and that the flower doesn’t grow mold. After the flower is processed into pre-roll joints, it's important that they are stored properly so the integrity of the cannabis can continue to be preserved.

Light, heat, air, and moisture can make cannabis material undesirable and, at worst, unusable in a matter of hours. So, to make sure you get the very best products to market, Custom Cones USA recommends using specific packaging and storage methods.

How Long Do Pre-Rolls Last?

Freshness is an important factor when it comes to enjoying a pre-roll. Cannabinoids, like THC and CBD, have an extremely long shelf life, but there is a lot more to cannabis than just cannabinoids. Terpenes are what give cannabis its unique smell, flavor, and effects. Unlike cannabinoids, terpenes are extremely volatile compounds and will eventually evaporate, even in the best packaging. If they avoid contaminants like mold, pre-rolls can last for years, but that doesn’t mean the terpenes will be there or that the smoking experience will be enjoyable.

Something should also be said about the flower material in pre-rolls. While it contributes nothing to the effects of cannabis, it does play an important role in the smoking experience of a joint. If the flower material gets too dried out, it will produce a harsh smoke. If it is too moist, it will grow mold and/or make it difficult for the joint to stay lit.

In short, like all organic products, pre-rolls will have a peak when it comes to freshness. So, if you are a pre-roll producer, you want to make sure you are not only packaging your pre-rolls well, but also making them in batches to avoid long storage times.

What are the Best Storage Techniques for Pre-Rolls?

Pre-roll producers have developed advanced storage and packaging techniques to help prolong the freshness of their products. Again, the idea is to balance humidity and temperature to keep the right moisture content in flowers. You also want to ensure that your pre-rolled joints aren’t regularly exposed to light.

Cannabis products are best stored in cool, dark environments with humidity levels between 55%-65%. This notion applies to cannabis consumers as well as retail dispensaries. Considering that most dispensaries do not have climate-controlled inventory rooms, a lot of the responsibility falls on the producer to use packaging that can maintain a product's freshness for an extended period of time.

The Right Packaging

While consumers should keep a careful eye on their pre-rolls after purchasing them, it's up to manufacturers to maintain product quality as joints make their way to the market. That being said, choosing the right pre-roll packaging is critical for any producer. Here are the things you should consider when picking the packaging for your pre-roll brand.

The Seal

Regardless of the material you are using to package your pre-rolls, you have to make sure that it has an effective seal. This keeps oxygen out of the package, which means the pre-rolls do not dry out or degrade. Plastic pop-top tubes have become the standard in the cannabis industry for individual pre-rolls, but there are a variety of options for those looking for a better seal or a different aesthetic.

Humidity Packs

Another great way to preserve the quality of pre-rolls is to package them with humidity packs. This simple addition will help keep your joints from drying out and losing freshness. Moisture packs offer two-way humidity control to maintain the perfect moisture content in flowers. These are ideal for multi-packs, as they give the consumer a way to make sure their pack stays fresh till the end.

Overwrapping

Plastic overwrapping is a great moisture and oxygen barrier. At Custom Cones USA, we recommend adding this extra layer to all pre-roll multi-pack packaging that does not incorporate an air-tight seal. Paper boxes can look amazing, but they are not the best at keeping out the elements. The overwrapping makes sure that the pre-rolls stay fresh inside.

Do Different Pre-Rolls Require Different Packaging?

While most discussions on pre-roll storage focus on the preservation of flowers, it's important to note that different types of joints and blunts have different storage requirements.

Since hemp blunt wraps dry out much quicker than pre rolled cones made with traditional rolling paper, pre-rolled blunts should be packaged more carefully than joints. As such, humidity packs are always appreciated with blunts. In fact, some people opt to store their blunts in humidors to maximize control over moisture content.

When it comes to pre-roll multi-packs, there are also some specific steps you should take to protect the integrity of your products. Not only should humidity packs be included with multi-packs, but you should also add an extra layer of plastic or BOPP film on the outside of the box. Taking these steps will ensure a uniform moisture content throughout each individual joint in the multi-pack.

How can People Be Better Educated on Proper Pre-Roll Storage Techniques?

The cannabis industry as a whole would benefit from a larger focus on quality consumption experiences. Whether it be using higher-quality rolling papers or knowing how to properly cure flowers, taking these extra steps can really enhance people’s experiences with pre-rolls.

If you look at other markets like wine and cigars, there are literally entire facets of the industry dedicated to proper storage techniques. When it comes to tobacco, slight variances in humidity levels can hinder the ability of a valuable Cuban cigar to burn properly. Similarly, wine collectors take extensive measures to maintain precise temperatures and humidity levels in their cellars.

As the cannabis industry continues to mature, more focus will be placed on proper storage techniques for the preservation of terpenes and cannabinoids.

Custom Cones USA: Your One-Stop Pre-Roll Supplier

Custom Cones USA offers the widest variety of pre-roll packaging options anywhere in the country. When it comes to proper cannabis pre-roll storage and packaging, we have you covered. For a more in-depth look at your options for pre-roll packaging, check out our Ultimate Guide to Pre-Roll Packaging or contact our Pre-Roll Experts, and they’ll walk you through everything you need to know to bring your pre-roll project to life!