Ocean green: Sana Packaging launches reclaimed ocean plastic cannabis packaging line

10 Jan 2019 --- Sustainable cannabis packaging manufacturer Sana Packaging has partnered with Oceanworks to supply a new line of cannabis packaging made from reclaimed ocean plastic. While hemp bioplastics will remain its core focus, the use of reclaimed ocean plastic is hoped to add a new dimension to the portfolio. As the regulatory environment surrounding cannabis use continues to soften, with the US’s recent legalization of hemp leading the way, the cannabis market is expected to become increasingly busy. This may present a host of opportunities for the packaging industry.

As a host of US states and Canada legalize, in some form, the use of medical marijuana, the demand for adequate packaging solutions is on the rise. Bottles and vials have primarily been used but the use of new forms of protective packaging, including environmentally friendly options, is increasing. 

Oceanworks partners with collection and processing agents around the world to bring trusted sources of ocean plastic materials to be converted into high-grade plastics for a range of applications.

“We’re extremely excited about working with Oceanworks,” says Ron Basak-Smith, Co-Founder & CEO of Sana Packaging. “This is an incredible opportunity to help clean our oceans and protect some of our planet’s most fragile ecosystems. While hemp bioplastics will remain our core focus, ocean plastic is a problem we have to address.”

More than one million Americans legally use medical marijuana, according to ProCon, and that number is projected to climb as more states vote to legalize medicinal cannabis. The use of recreational cannabis has also recently been legalized in Canada, setting the scene for a wave of innovation in the market to thrive. 

As user rates increase, cannabis packaging waste is already making headlines and six of the ten states with recreational cannabis are coastal states – seven if you include Michigan, which borders four of the Great Lakes. In this way, users of cannabis can use their purchasing power to “make a dent in ocean plastic.”

Sana Packaging’s flagship hemp bioplastic
“Most hemp bioplastics on the market today, including ours, are fiber-reinforced biocomposites,” James Eichner, Co-Founder at Sana Packaging, tells PackagingInsights. “These are composite materials made from a polymer matrix reinforced with natural fibers – in our case, hemp fibers. To make a hemp biocomposite, microtized hemp hurd is infused with an existing bioplastic. Our plastic formulation is 30 percent hemp and 70 percent corn PLA.”

Sana Packaging’s first two commercial products are the Sana Container and the Sana Tube. The Sana Container is a versatile child-resistant box with optimal space for branding, compliance labeling and a nesting design that allows for efficient shipping and storage. The Sana Container is ideal for flowers, concentrates, vaporizer cartridges and edibles.

The Sana Tube is a versatile child-resistant tube that is ideal for pre-rolls (joints/cigarettes), vaporizer cartridges and vaporizer pens.

The new line of ocean reclaimed plastic will also feature the Sana Container and Tube.

“Hemp packaging is far from mainstream, but it is already in commercial use. Hemp Press, a company based in Oregon, specializes in hemp paper/paperboard packaging. As for hemp plastic packaging, Sana Packaging will be the first company to commercialize that as far as I know. While our current focus is on the cannabis industry, we plan to expand to other packaging verticals in the future,” says Eichner.

The changing legal face of cannabis use and the regulations around packaging that follow it will undoubtedly be an interesting feed to follow in 2019. Our sister website, NutritionInsight, recently reported on the legalization of hemp through the US Farm Bill last month.