What is a Cannagar and How to Make Them

A cannagar is a pre-rolled cannabis product that is made in the shape of a cigar using cigar molds. However, unlike cigars, cannagars are made by tightly compacting cannabis into a “core” with a skewer down the middle, which is removed to provide spare for air-flow. Similar to the way cigars are related to cigarettes, cannagars distinguish themselves from joints by how big they are and the materials from which they are constructed. There is no standard size when it comes to cannagars, but they are typically made with between 3 and 12 grams of ground cannabis and, if they are infused, 1 to 2 grams of concentrate.

When it comes to how they are constructed, cannagars typically do not use the standard, ultra-thin rolling papers that are used for making joints. Because of their weight, size and how long they last, cannagars require a wrap that is more durable and burns slower. This is why they are often made with thicker hemp wraps or cannabis fan leaves. They need to be made with something that can hold up to being passed around for a few hours.

It is still common for consumers to make their own version of a blunt by hollowing out cigars and using the wrap for their cannabis. Referred to as blunts, these products are known for imparting a more earthy flavor to the cannabis and adding a little bit of nicotine to the experience. What distinguishes a cannagar from a blunt is typically how tightly packed the core is, with the hole down the middle being a classic feature of a cannabis cannagar.

In legal markets, there are strict laws that keep tobacco and cannabis products from being sold together, which is why you’ll never find a “real” blunt for sale in a dispensary. In the world of recreational cannabis, a blunt is often referred to a pre-rolled cannabis product that is wrapped in hemp paper. This has led “hemp wraps” and “blunt wraps” to be used interchangeably in the legal cannabis markets.

Cannagar Trends

Pre-rolled products are the fastest growing product segment in the cannabis market. When it comes to sales, cannagars represent a small segment of the overall sales; however, looking over pre-roll sales data from Headset for the previous 5 years, we can clearly see a rise in sales. The growth is similar to the other categories of pre-rolls, which have been seeing accelerated growth as prices have been coming down.

Cannagars will never be the most popular pre-roll category, and most of that has to do with the size and price of the products; however, they do have a loyal following from people looking to celebrate together. These items can be enjoyed by a single individual, but the big ones are typically meant to be shared (puff, puff, pass). At the end of the day, cannagars are a luxury item that, when added to an existing line of pre-rolls, can really help distinguish a brand.

What is a Cannagar Mold?

A cannagar mold is a tool used to compress and form the ground cannabis material into a desired shape. This makes it easier to wrap the cannabis material or insert it into a pre-rolled tube. They are made from non-stick and food-grade material that help keep microbials from causing issues and allow the cores to be extracted easily.

Given their size, it is difficult to adequately fill and pack a cannagar, so these molds are extremely useful when it comes to producing them at any type of scale. Molds are typically accompanied with a skewer, which is designed to run up the center of the cannabis material while it is being packed. After it has been removed, the space it leaves behind ensures the consumer gets a good draw.

What are Cannagar Gauge Sizes?

Gauge size is a unit of measurement that correlates to the diameter of a ring-shaped product. The larger the gauge number, the larger the diameter. A cannagar gauge size refers to the diameter of each hole in the mold you will use to create cannagars. For example, a larger gauged mold will produce thicker cannagars.

Here is a list of popular cigars and their gauge size for comparison:

• Cigarillo: 20
• Perla: 40
• Corona: 42
• Robusto: 50

What Types of Cannagars Are There?

Pre-rolled products are the most customizable items in the cannabis market, so it comes as no surprise that you’ll have a variety of options to pick from when it comes to purchasing a cannagar. As well as offering a variety of cultivars in their cannagars, producers are also infusing them with concentrates. Concentrates will increase the potency, but it also acts as a natural glue that helps keep the cannagar together.

Cannagars are also constructed with a variety of different materials. You can technically use the ultra-thin rolling papers used to make joints; however, the majority of cannagars are made with cannabis fan leaves or hemp wraps. Some producers will add a glass or wood tip at the bottom to create a smoother and cooler draw, and some will even get so fancy as to add gold leaf to the outside of the fan leaves for an added sense of luxury.

The most famous type of cannagar has to be Thai Sticks. It is common for people to compare cannagars with Thai Sticks, but it is more accurate to view Thai Sticks as a type of cannagar or maybe even the first type of cannagar. Thai Sticks are constructed the same way as many cannagars. Ground cannabis (often infused with something) is molded around a skewer and wrapped in fan leaves.

What’s unique about Thai Sticks is that, after being wrapped, the whole thing is bound with hemp string before it is cured and consumed. Thai Sticks get to the consumer with the wood skewer and hemp string still in place, but they are consumed the same way as cannagars. They consumer just needs to remove the string and skewer before partaking.

How to Make Cannagars

The steps for creating a cannagar are quite simple.

• 1. Grind your flower material to a chunky consistency.
• 2. Weigh out the desired amount of flower to make sure you are putting the right amount of material into each cannagar.
• 3. Compress the cannabis material into a mold—making sure you are packing evenly as you go. Do not try and put all the cannabis material in at the same time!
• 4. Let the cannabis material set in the molds for at least an hour. Some companies cure their cannagars for days!
• 5. Carefully remove the cannagar core from the mold.
• 6. Wrap up the core in hemp wrap, rolling paper, or fan leaves.
• 7. You can also slide the core into a pre-rolled tube for faster production!

How to Scale Cannagar Production

Compared to other types of pre-rolled items, cannagars are time consuming to produce, but there are ways to increase your production levels. Getting an industrial grinder and sifter is a great to ensure your cannabis material is ready for compression. These machines will not only do the job quickly, but they also ensure that trichomes are preserved and you have consistency in your particle size.

There are also automated cannagar machines that can let you make up to three cannagar cores at a time. The cannagar machines use air compression to pack the molds, and you can use the manual cannagar extractor to remove the skewers after the mold has been filled and taken out of the machine. A team of two, one working the machine and the other extracting and finishing cannagars, is the fastest way to produce cannagars.

For a more in-depth look at how to use automated cannagar machines, check out our video. It covers all the tips and tricks you need to know to ramp up your cannagar production, and, as always, if you want someone to walk you through the steps it would take to increase your production, reach out to our Pre-Roll Experts. Scaling production needs to be done responsibly, and we have years of experience helping companies do just that.

Tips and Tricks for Automated Cannagar Production

• Clean tamping dies, molds and skewers with isopropyl alcohol, but clean the rubber plugs with soapy water.
• Practice before each batch to ensure optimal packing pressure. Start with low pressure (20PSI) and work your way up.
• We recommend packing between 40 and 60 PSI.
• If the cannabis material is fluffy, coursely ground, moist and/or infused with oil, less packing pressure is needed. If the cannabis material is dense, finely ground and/or dry, more pressure is needed to get an ideal pack.
• The smaller the gauge size, the less packing pressure is needed.
• The skewers from the top must align with the holes on the bottom of the tamping dies. Check the alignment of tamping dies before each round of packing.
• Slowly brush cannabis material into the filling mold and pack between each layer.
• When blending concentrate with cannabis, a ratio of 5 grams to 1 gram of flower is recommended.

What is the Cost of a Cannagar?

Because there are so many different types of cannagars, there is a wide range of prices. The only thing really limiting them is that they have to remain within legal weights of cannabis material. A simple cannagar can be had for about $25 whereas a handmade, infused, connoisseur cannagar can sell for thousands.

Best Cannagar Brands

Cannagars are a specialty product, and the brands that make them are typically a sub-brand of a cannabis companies that is already known for creating premium products in a particular market. Here’s a list of some of our favorite and what makes them so special.

• Leira: The most well-known cannagar brand in Washington state, Leira creates cannagars that are either 4 or 12 grams of flower. Their most luxury offering is a 12 gram cannagar that is finished with gold leaf.
• E4P: A California brand that incorporates 0.5 grams of solventless extract into their roughly 6-gram cannagars, E4P distinguishes themselves by offering a CBD option that can be legally shipped out of state.
• Artisan Canna Cigars: These are made by a pre-roll company that not only make a variety of cannagars, but they also create Thai Sticks—complete with wooden skewer and string wrapping. They are the perfect option for people looking for the old school look and feel.

Cannagar Packaging

Cannagars are considered a luxury or connoisseur item, so you are going to want packaging that gives that impression. Glass tubes are a popular choice amongst cannagar producers, and, when combined with a nicely branded label, your cannagars are sure to look deserving of their price point. You also want to make sure you are using packaging that will keep your cannagars fresh, so when picking a cap, make sure you pick one that looks nice and creates a great seal.

To help make your product stand out on the shelf and produce that “wow factor,” you can also get customized packaging and display boxes. We can have your products looking so good that they won’t even need a budtender’s help to sell! Just let our team know what you want, and we’ll work hard to make it happen!