Packaging recycling and sustainability in the CBD industry
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Reading time 4 min
CONTENTS
CBD is seductive for its natural virtues, but what about the ecological impact of its packaging? Between sustainable initiatives and industrial contradictions, packaging is becoming a central issue. Mama reveals the alternatives for reducing the environmental impact of the CBD industry.
To remember
- A variety of packaging options: from recycled paper to glass jars, each material has its ecological advantages and limitations.
- Vapes pens illustrate the ecological paradox in the CBD industry.
- Every detail counts for a greener industry: label, paper bag, glass jar.
Recycled paper pouches, because ethics begin with the packaging
While we often talk about well-being and nature, packaging is sometimes the first contradiction in the CBD world. And yet, some brands are embracing their green credentials with recycled paper pouches. These are increasingly being used to replace conventional plastic bags.
These pouches, often compostable or FSC-certified, offer a good compromise between product protection and respect for the environment. The paper is strong, opaque and hermetically sealed, with cornstarch or biosourced film protection. What's more, personalization with vegetable-based inks reinforces their commitment.
But this solution has its limits:
- a shorter shelf life,
- poor resistance to humidity,
- sometimes insufficient preservation of flavors.
This alternative implies well-honed logistics and customer-conscious consumption. If you opt for an eco-friendly brand and paper bags, you'll need to consume your products quickly and store your CBD in a dry place.
Eco-responsible Mama Kana offers glass jars
Some brands, such as Mama Kana, have chosen a different path: that of glass, for its aesthetic, protective and ecological properties. Glass jars are one of the few types of packaging that can be recycled ad infinitum without any loss of quality. It perfectly protects CBD flowers and resins from oxygen, light and humidity. Even our inexpensive CBD flowers are preserved in glass jars.
Mana Kana doesn't just stick a label on a jar: the design is built to last, with reusable lids, a handcrafted aesthetic and sizes adapted to limit waste. The jar can then be reused to store something else, transformed into a decorative object or even a spice box.
Of course, glass has a logistical cost, as it's heavier to transport, which sometimes means higher-than-average shipping costs.
Vapes: a scourge for the ecology
Vape pens and other disposable devices are often made of plastic, lithium, metal and electronic circuits. They cannot be recycled or recharged. That's why some governments are hunting them down to ban their sale.
The all-disposable logic in this sector appeals to consumers for its ease of use, discretion and attractive price. But no system has yet been set up to recover or recycle vapes pens. A few initiatives are emerging, with brands offering return systems or refillable CBD vape pens. refillable CBD vape pens metal vape pens with replaceable cartridges.
Biodegradable labels and vegetable-based ink
Ethical packaging isn't just about the container. The label and packaging also contribute to a more sustainable CBD product. Some brands now use vegetable-based inks and biodegradable adhesives to limit the ecological impact of CBD.
The most rigorous brands even offer detachable labelling or engraving systems to eliminate polluting glue. These choices demonstrate a higher level of commitment, often invisible to the uninformed consumer, but which makes all the difference in the CBD industry.
Limiting over-packaging of CBD products
Tissue paper, cardboard boxes, ribbons, flyers, postcards, scented pouches and more. There are a multitude of ways to look after the packaging of a CBD brand. However, all these little details add to the product's ecological footprint.
Uncluttered, local, recyclable or reusable packaging will have much greater ecological value. Brands that return to a streamlined style and focus on transparency in the life cycle of their packaging score points (origin of materials, post-consumer treatment, recycling channels).
Brands like Mama Kana have clearly understood that the container contributes to the brand's message and image. And consumers are becoming increasingly lucid about their overall consumption. Ethics and ecology in the CBD industry aren't just marketing words, they're expressed right from the moment you receive the product.
Article written by Benjamin Poirel-Nadal
Passionate about natural well-being and plants with multiple virtues, I've been exploring the benefits of CBD and its various forms for several years.
My aim? To share with you clear information, honest opinions and practical advice to help you integrate CBD into your daily life with confidence and serenity.
