Metal Packaging FAQ

Metal packaging includes tins, cans, containers, closures, and other rigid packages made from aluminum, steel, tinplate, or another documented metal construction.

Depending on the package, metal can provide:

• A lightweight and rigid structure
• An opaque package that limits light exposure
• Large surfaces for labels or direct printing
• A premium retail presentation
• Child-resistant closure options
• Compatibility with inserts and tamper-evident features
• Potential reuse or recycling where appropriate systems exist

Performance depends on the complete package. The metal substrate alone does not establish child resistance, food-contact suitability, odor containment, moisture protection, tamper evidence, or shelf life.

No. Metal packaging is a broad category that can include aluminum, steel, stainless steel, tinplate, and other documented metal constructions.

Aluminum packaging is one type of metal packaging. A package should be described as aluminum only when product-specific documentation confirms its material composition.

Different metals can vary in weight, strength, corrosion resistance, coatings, manufacturing requirements, and recycling pathways.

Sana Packaging’s current Pre-Roll Multipack Slider Tin 114mm is made from aluminum.

Although the product is commonly called a slider tin, “tin” describes the package format rather than its material composition. The current product can accurately be described as:

• An aluminum slider tin
• An aluminum pre-roll multipack
• Aluminum cannabis packaging
• A child-resistant aluminum tin

The aluminum construction does not establish a specific alloy, coating system, or recycled-content percentage. Use the available product documentation when a more detailed material specification is required.

Primary aluminum begins with bauxite ore. The bauxite is refined into alumina, which is then processed into aluminum metal.

Aluminum can also be produced from recovered aluminum scrap through secondary production. Recycled aluminum generally requires less energy to produce than primary aluminum, but the environmental performance of a finished package depends on additional factors, including:

• The documented recycled-content percentage
• Manufacturing and finishing processes
• Coatings, inks, labels, and adhesives
• Package weight and transportation
• Product protection
• Collection and recycling infrastructure
• Actual recovery after use

The presence of aluminum does not automatically establish recycled content or guarantee recycling.

The current standard metal packaging product is the aluminum Pre-Roll Multipack Slider Tin 114mm.

It features:

• A child-resistant slide-tab closure
• White, black, and silver stock colors
• A slim, pocket-friendly format
• Capacity for several pre-roll configurations
• Compatibility with a separate five-count plastic insert
• Traditional labels
• Label printing and application
• Full-color direct printing
• Compatible tamper-evident packaging options
• A 200-unit case pack

Other aluminum or metal tins, closures, dimensions, colors, and structures may be available for qualifying custom projects. Materials, tooling, minimum order quantities, certifications, lead times, and pricing vary by project.

To view current products and availability, explore the Metal Packaging collection.

Benefits of the 114mm Aluminum Slider Tin include:

• A rigid, slim, and lightweight format
• An opaque package that blocks visible light through the aluminum walls
• A child-resistant opening mechanism
• A premium retail presentation
• Large surfaces for labels or direct printing
• Multiple pre-roll configurations
• Compatibility with a positioning insert
• Potential reuse or recycling where appropriate systems exist

Tradeoffs include:

• Aluminum can dent, bend, scratch, or deform under impact or pressure.
• Printed surfaces, coatings, and colored finishes can show abrasion.
• Corrosion resistance depends on coatings, moisture, product chemistry, storage conditions, and surface damage.
• Aluminum conducts heat and should not be treated as insulation.
• The current Slider Tin does not have a verified recycled-content percentage.
• The current stock product is imported rather than made in the United States.
• The closure does not make the package fully airtight, odor-proof, moisture-proof, leakproof, or watertight.

Material choice is only one part of packaging performance. Product compatibility, protection, filling, transportation, customer use, and end-of-life systems should also be considered.

The 114mm Slider Tin does not have a verified recycled-content claim.

Aluminum manufacturing commonly uses recovered metal as feedstock, but that does not establish the recycled-content percentage of a particular finished package.

Do not market the current Slider Tin as:

• Made from recycled aluminum
• Made from post-consumer recycled aluminum
• PCR aluminum packaging
• Made from a specific percentage of recycled metal

A recycled-content claim should be used only when current documentation applies to the exact package being sold.

The 114mm Aluminum Slider Tin is imported rather than manufactured in the United States.

A relationship with a United States supplier, distributor, printer, or label applicator does not establish domestic manufacturing.

Custom metal projects may use different suppliers and manufacturing locations. Confirm the country of origin for the exact product before using claims such as “Made in USA,” “manufactured in the United States,” or “domestically produced.”

The 114mm Slider Tin has:

• Exterior dimensions of 114mm × 74mm × 15.5mm
• Interior dimensions of 111mm × 72mm × 12mm
• Capacity for up to eight 109mm, approximately 1g pre-rolls positioned vertically
• Capacity for up to fourteen 70mm, approximately 0.5g pre-rolls positioned horizontally
• Capacity for five 109mm, approximately 1g pre-rolls when paired with the compatible plastic insert

These capacities are general starting points. Actual fit depends on:

• Pre-roll length and diameter
• Filter style
• Paper
• Fill density
• Twist or fold
• Unit count and orientation
• Dimensional tolerances
• Labels, liners, inserts, and other components

Nominal pre-roll weight alone does not determine fit. Test the actual finished pre-rolls and complete packaging configuration before ordering commercial quantities.

Yes. Sana Packaging offers a separate plastic insert designed specifically for the 114mm Slider Tin.

The current insert:

• Holds five 109mm, approximately 1g pre-rolls
• Is available in black or white
• Helps keep pre-rolls separated and positioned
• Is packed 200 units per case
• Is sold separately from the aluminum tin

The insert is a separate plastic component. It does not inherit the aluminum tin’s material, recycled-content, or recyclability claims.

Custom inserts for other counts or configurations may be possible at higher quantities. Material, tooling, fit, minimums, lead times, and end-of-life options are project-specific.

Explore compatible inserts and tamper-evident components in the Add-Ons & Accessories collection.

Yes. The 114mm Aluminum Slider Tin uses a child-resistant slide-tab closure and has product-specific certification documentation.

Child resistance applies to the tested:

• Package design
• Dimensions
• Opening mechanism
• Closure
• Complete configuration

Child resistance is not an inherent property of aluminum. Changing the structure, dimensions, closure, or other tested elements may affect the certification and require additional testing.

Child-resistant does not mean child-proof. Request the current certification documentation when opening operation or regulatory compliance is critical.

Not automatically. Child resistance and tamper evidence are separate packaging functions.

The 114mm Slider Tin can be paired with tamper-evident features such as:

• Customizable Stone Paper Tamper Bands
• Tamper-evident labels
• Sealed inner packaging
• Sealed paperboard outer packaging
• Other project-specific seals or constructions

The appropriate method depends on the product, package, filling process, retail environment, and applicable regulations.

A seal that provides evidence of opening does not make the package child-resistant.

Yes. The 114mm Aluminum Slider Tin is food-grade and FDA-compliant for applicable product-contact uses.

Food-contact status depends on the complete construction, including:

• The aluminum substrate
• Interior coatings
• Inks and exterior decoration
• Adhesives
• Inserts or liners
• Intended contents
• Filling conditions
• Contact time and temperature
• Conditions of use

Review current documentation for the exact configuration being considered.

The term FDA-compliant should not be interpreted as FDA-approved. It also does not establish the safety, stability, shelf life, or regulatory compliance of the cannabis product placed inside the package.

The aluminum walls provide an opaque barrier that blocks visible light through the package. However, the performance of the complete package depends on:

• Openings and seams
• The closure
• Interior coatings
• Manufacturing tolerances
• Inserts and liners
• Labels and seals
• Inner packaging

The 114mm Aluminum Slider Tin is not fully airtight, odor-proof, moisture-proof, leakproof, or watertight.

An inner pouch, liner, seal, or other primary barrier may be appropriate when stronger odor containment, moisture control, or shelf-life protection is required.

Aluminum also conducts heat and should not be treated as insulation. Test the complete filled package under expected filling, storage, transportation, retail, and use conditions before making performance or shelf-life claims.

Yes. Aluminum packaging is rigid and durable under normal conditions, but thin aluminum structures can dent, bend, scratch, or deform under impact or excessive pressure.

Aluminum does not rust in the same way as iron or steel, but it can corrode or oxidize under certain conditions. Performance can depend on:

• Interior and exterior coatings
• Moisture and humidity
• Salt or acidic exposure
• Product chemistry
• Scratches and surface damage
• Storage and transportation conditions
• Length of contact

Direct printing, coatings, and colored finishes may also show abrasion during production, filling, packing, transportation, or repeated use.

Use appropriate case packs, dividers, cushioning, palletization, and handling procedures when appearance or closure operation is critical.

The aluminum body of the 114mm Slider Tin is recyclable where local programs accept the package format.

Aluminum can be recycled repeatedly while retaining its fundamental material properties. However, this does not guarantee that every finished package will be collected, sorted, or processed.

Acceptance can depend on:

• Package dimensions and format
• Interior and exterior coatings
• Labels, inks, and adhesives
• Plastic inserts and tamper bands
• Liners, seals, and inner packaging
• Residual product
• Local collection and processing infrastructure

Before recycling, empty the package and separate the aluminum tin, plastic insert, labels, tamper bands, and other components when required by the local program.

“Recyclable where accepted” is more accurate than “100% recyclable,” “infinitely recyclable,” or “recyclable everywhere.”

Aluminum tins may be suitable for personal reuse because they are rigid and durable. However, a package designed for a single commercial use should not automatically be treated as a validated refillable package.

Commercial reuse requires appropriate:

• Collection
• Inspection
• Cleaning and sanitation
• Quality control
• Closure testing
• Child-resistance review
• Product-compatibility testing
• Regulatory review

Aluminum packaging is not biodegradable or compostable. Its primary end-of-life pathway is recycling through an appropriate metal-recovery system.

Reuse and recyclability should not be confused with biodegradability or compostability.

Yes. Current customization options for the 114mm Aluminum Slider Tin include:

• Traditional pressure-sensitive labels
• Custom label printing
• Label printing and application
• Full-color direct printing
• Customizable Stone Paper Tamper Bands
• Paperboard outer packaging and inserts
• Compliance and product-information labeling

Separate artwork templates are available for labels and direct printing because the printable areas and production requirements differ.

Custom colors, embossing, debossing, specialty closures, custom inserts, and fully custom dimensions or structures may be available for qualifying high-volume projects. These options generally require higher production quantities, tooling, longer timelines, and project-specific testing.

Changing the structure, dimensions, or child-resistant mechanism may require new certification.

For additional guidance, explore the Printing & Labeling FAQ.

Samples are available for the 114mm Aluminum Slider Tin and compatible five-count plastic insert.

Use samples to evaluate:

• Pre-roll fit and capacity
• Insert compatibility
• Child-resistant opening operation
• Tamper-evident features
• Odor, moisture, and light-protection requirements
• Label and direct-print areas
• Filling and packing workflows
• Dents, scratches, and handling durability
• Storage and transportation
• The intended customer experience

Blank stock tins and inserts are packed 200 units per case and are generally sold in full-case quantities. They have matching case quantities but must be ordered separately.

Blank, in-stock packaging generally ships the next business day.

Custom minimums and production timing depend on the decoration method, quantity, number of designs, tooling, and project requirements. Historical planning guidance for certain custom metal projects is approximately four to six weeks after final approval, plus shipping. Confirm current quantities, proofing requirements, timing, and freight before committing to a launch schedule.

Depending on the product and project, relevant documentation may include:

• Aluminum material or substrate specifications
• Interior and exterior coating information
• Recycled-content documentation
• Country-of-origin information
• Food-contact and FDA-compliance documentation
• Child-resistant certification
• Product dimensions and tolerances
• Insert specifications
• Label and direct-print templates
• Custom tooling and production records

Use claims supported for the exact product and configuration. Appropriate language for the current documented package may include:

• Aluminum pre-roll multipack
• 114mm aluminum slider tin
• Child-resistant slide-tab closure
• Food-grade and FDA-compliant
• Aluminum body recyclable where accepted
• Available with labels or full-color direct printing
• Imported
• No verified recycled-content claim

Avoid unsupported claims such as:

• Made from recycled aluminum
• Made from a specific percentage of recycled metal
• Made in the USA
• Plastic-free
• Fully airtight
• Odor-proof
• Moisture-proof
• Watertight
• Rustproof or corrosion-proof
• BPA-free or PFAS-free
• FDA-approved
• Child-proof
• 100% recyclable
• Infinitely recyclable
• Recyclable everywhere
• Biodegradable
• Compostable
• Zero waste
• Eco-friendly or sustainable without further qualification

Claims about the complete customized package must account for coatings, inks, labels, adhesives, tamper bands, inserts, seals, and every other component.

To shop current aluminum packaging, explore the Metal Packaging collection. For compatible pre-roll formats and accessories, explore Pre-Roll Multipacks and Add-Ons & Accessories. For Sana Packaging’s broader material approach, visit Sustainability. You can also return to the Frequently Asked Questions hub.

Related guides: Metal Packaging for Cannabis: Formats, Product Fit, Printing & Recycling; How to Compare Cannabis Packaging Materials.