Which Cannabis Packaging Materials Are the Most Environmentally Friendly?

When you’re striving for sustainability in your business model, it’s natural to want to find the most environmentally friendly options available. However, there are a lot of different dimensions to sustainability — not to mention all of the different considerations you need to keep in mind when searching for cannabis packaging solutions. 

The team at Sana Packaging is here to shed some light on the most sustainable cannabis packaging options and how you can choose which ones best fit your cannabrand’s goals. 

What Are Environmentally Friendly Cannabis Containers?

Before we start, we should clarify what we mean when discussing environmentally friendly cannabis packaging. 

Generally speaking, environmentally friendly products seek to have as little impact on the world around us as possible, either by reducing waste, avoiding virgin materials, conserving energy, or any other techniques. 

To learn more about how we quantify the eco-friendliness of our products, check out our blog about measuring the sustainability of cannabis packages. 

Types of Environmentally Friendly Cannabis Packaging Materials

There are many different kinds of sustainable cannabis packages. Sana Packaging specializes in reclaimed ocean-bound plastic, plant-based hemp plastic, and recycled glass. 

Plant-Based Hemp Plastic

Plant-based hemp plastic is plastic made from hemp fiber and other plant-based materials.

Plant-based hemp plastic packaging is strong, lightweight, and not made with petroleum products. 

Reclaimed Ocean-Bound Plastic

Reclaimed ocean-bound plastic is made from plastic collected from the environment within 50 kilometers of the shoreline in regions without formal waste management systems.

Reclaimed ocean-bound plastic is then recycled into new products. 

High-Content Recycled Glass

Recycled glass is simply glass that is made partially or entirely from recycled materials.

Sana Packaging partners with Tree Hugger Containers to source glass with an exceptionally high percentage of recycled content. 

Which Sustainable Cannabis Packages Are Right For Your Company?

It’s important to recognize that not all sustainable cannabis packaging materials are suited to all purposes. Read on to determine which materials will help your company reach its sustainability goals. 

Customizable Eco-Friendly Cannabis Packaging

If you want to customize your cannabis containers, you have several options. Our reclaimed ocean-bound plastic line is available in multiple colors; black and white are our standard options, and we can provide custom colors for larger orders. 

Many of our glass containers are also available in clear, black, or white, and the compatible ocean plastic lids are available in white and black.

We also offer environmentally friendly custom labeling for every product, so you can match it to your brand aesthetic regardless of the sustainable material you choose. 

Petroleum-Free Cannabis Containers

Increasingly, consumers are seeking to avoid conventional plastics entirely. Your cannabis company can cater to this niche by choosing petroleum-free packaging materials. 

Sana Packaging’s hemp plastic is made from 100% plant-based materials. It’s free of petroleum ingredients, doesn’t require the use of the same hazardous chemicals as virgin petroleum-based plastics, and doesn’t break down into harmful microplastics. It’s an excellent choice for cannabis brands that want to use the hemp plant to its full potential. 

Sustainable Cannabis Packages to Save on Shipping Fees

Many people still believe that eco-friendly options are more expensive than conventional materials. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Sana Packaging offers affordable and sustainable cannabis packaging materials, and all of our products are free from the social and environmental costs that come with conventional packaging choices. 

If you want to take the savings even further, consider lightweight options like flexible PCR pouches and reclaimed ocean-bound plastic. These materials are strong, durable, and extremely lightweight, making them less expensive and easier to ship. Combined with Sana Packaging's use of local and regional suppliers, you will save money and reduce your footprint simultaneously. 

Sustainable Cannabis Containers That Help Clean the Planet

Eco-friendliness doesn’t have to be an abstract concept. With Sana Packaging’s environmentally friendly cannabis packaging solutions, you can make a measurable impact on the health and cleanliness of the world around you. 

Using our reclaimed ocean-bound plastic is one of the best ways to make a measurable difference in the environment's health. As of mid-2024, Sana Packaging and our clients have diverted and reclaimed more than 750,000 pounds of plastic from the world’s waterways. You can help us reach our next stepping stone of one million pounds by choosing to package your cannabis products in reclaimed ocean-bound plastic containers. 

Plant-based hemp plastic also improves the health of our planet, though the impact can’t be measured in pounds. Industrial hemp is one of the most effective crops at removing carbon from the atmosphere, and it can help improve the health of the soil it’s grown in. 

Eco-Friendly Cannabis Packaging Materials That Conserve Energy

One of the other metrics we use to track the sustainability of our products is energy usage. The good news is that no matter which Sana Packaging products you choose, you will conserve energy and reduce your carbon footprint!

Hemp plastic uses far less energy to produce than traditional petroleum-based plastic. Recycled plastic, like our reclaimed ocean-bound plastic, is also significantly less energy-intensive to produce than virgin petroleum-based plastic. Finally, creating recycled glass requires less energy than producing new glass. 

Compliant Sustainable Cannabis Packaging Materials

Navigating the regulatory frameworks surrounding the cannabis industry isn’t easy, but Sana Packaging strives to make one thing simple: all of our sustainable products comply with cannabis packaging laws. 

Many of our products are either child-resistant by default or can be made child-resistant with optional add-ons. We carry a wide selection of resealable cannabis packages, and all of our containers can be made tamper-evident, too. Regarding sustainability, we carry products that meet or exceed the requirements for every state with environmental considerations written into their cannabis packaging laws.

Embrace Environmentally Friendly Cannabis Packaging with Sana Packaging

No matter what your cannabis company’s product line, brand ethos, or aesthetic looks like, there are environmentally friendly packaging materials that will meet your needs. Sana Packaging prides itself on carrying a wide variety of sustainable cannabis containers and packaging solutions to help every company embrace sustainability. 

For more information about our products, to request a sample, or to join our movement of cannabis companies with the environment at the heart of our mission, contact us today.