From animatronic polar bears to echoes of Miami Vice, these cannabis brands are winning the branding and packaging game…
Saints Joints
This Washington brand, which is now available in Oklahoma, has an interesting backstory, but today we’re here for the packaging, which makes me feel like I’ve wandered into a rare bookstore dedicated to the occult. Which is somewhere I want to be. Saints Joints live in corrugated cardboard boxes embossed with golden angles, swords, and arcane symbols. The brand has also partnered with the likes of Peruvian skater Chris Dyer and other artists to produce packs decorated with psychedelic designs, deities, and (my personal favorite) an iridescent tiger.
Weekenders
Let’s step outside the occult bookstore to chill poolside with your cool aunt who wears an outsized floppy hat and loves a good piña colada. Maybe later we’ll go for a ride in her pink convertible. In short, Weekenders has a fun yet classy 80s vibe. But while these packs of pre-rolls may look like expensive cigarettes from days of yore, Weekenders is the opposite of Big Tobacco: their organic weed is grown outdoors at Redwood Valley Farms, and they are a woman-owned and Black-owned California cannabis brand.
Edie Parker
The Edie Parker brand is synonymous with luxe retro-inspired handbags and home accessories, so the jump to cannabis was a surprise. But according to their own ethos, “Edie Parker crafts pretty things to make you happy,” so perhaps the playful pre-rolls and hand-crafted smoking accessories are exactly in line with designer Bret Heyman’s original vision. We love these stylish packs, which come in fun color combinations like stripey pink and green. If Holly Golightly smoked joints, she’d definitely smoke Edie Parker Flower. Their THC line is now available in Colorado.
Her Highness
Speaking of a luxe early 60s vibe, Her Highness evokes a hip New York party where you might spot foxy heiresses, slightly bohemian society matrons, and maybe Andy Warhol. We love the lamé shimmer, the lipstick print logo, the blocky font, and the aim: a brand that’s unabashedly by and for women.
Napa Valley Fumé
We can’t talk packaging without talking about Napa Valley Fumé, a California brand that has truly gone the extra mile, both in terms of aesthetics and ethics. Pictures don’t quite capture the beauty of these boxes, which in person have a weight and gorgeous matte texture that makes one feel that they are holding a luxury object. The brand has also led the pack with clever childproof packaging that is at once eco-friendly and sleek.
Lady Jays
The ladies of paradise describe their brand as “retro Miami Vice meets divine feminine energy,” and that’s something I can get behind. We love the bold pastel graphics of Lady Jays pre-rolls, their femme-forward aesthetic, and their message of female empowerment. This woman-owned cannabis brand is based in Portland, Oregon with plans to expand into other states.
Green Bee Botanicals
For years, the women at California’s Green Bee Botanicals have been on a mission to create packaging that’s sustainable, compliant, and beautiful. And they’ve nailed it. Their THC lotions, serums, and other full-spectrum topicals come in matte glass containers, which are packaged in matte paper boxes with a clever “key” insert instead of more typical (and ugly) methods of keeping your kids out of your fancy THC skincare products. Their bee logo, embossed in silver, adds an old-fashioned, romantic touch.
Bhang
This California edibles brand’s logo and packaging has a graphic, of-the-moment energy that’s fueled by their collaborations with artists like Andrew Archer, Muck Rock, and Max Neutra. From rainbow-spectrum animatronic polar bears to jellyfish tsunamis, Bhang is transportive. In addition, this is packaging you can feel good about: Their biodegradable boxes are made from 100% recycled paper and printed with soy-based inks.
Sweet Dirt
Maine’s Sweet Dirt conveys their commitment to sustainability via their packaging, which features a gorgeous forest motif that somehow manages to appear at once eco-friendly and luxe. But it’s not just a cool look–their exit bags are made of plant-based materials, their pre-roll tubes are made of 100% reclaimed ocean plastic, and all of their packaging is manufactured locally in certified wind-powered facilities.
binske
Flowers, fruit, and birds stand out against a deep black background. The effect is lush yet mysterious. The brand is notable not only for its beauty but for innovations that make a difference, like the airtight insert that keeps their packs of pre-rolls fresh or their child-safe take on the classic mason stash jar. Founded in Colorado, binkse is now available in all the mature cannabis markets as well as several emerging markets.
Beboe
Part of the Green Thumb Industries portfolio, Beboe was an early player in luxury cannabis. The brand was founded in LA, and the packaging has an old world Hollywood glitz that is at once intricate, delicate, and striking. This time we’re transported to a moonlit terrace and I find myself searching my designer clutch for my rose-gold vape pen while we keep an eye out for that cad Valentino.
Wellfounded
Speaking of designer…Wellfounded CBD and THC skincare and wellness products come in sleek black containers emblazoned with a stylized bluebird. The simple yet memorable design is the work of founder Sara Rotman, who is famous for creating the iconic Tory Burch logo, and for decades developed branding for companies like Carolina Herrera, Vera Wang, and Michael Kors. Rotman left the fashion world to live and work on her California cannabis farm, but it’s obvious that she hasn’t lost her touch.
