How To Create Compelling And Compliant CBD Labels and Brands?

Compliant cannabis packaging is one of the crucial elements you should think of when establishing a CBD business. The CBD market has grown enough to be considered a real contender in the commerce world. However, regulations related to the products are still extremely strict and confusing. Cannabis products are now the gold rush of many business owners. From oils, tinctures to edibles, skincare, and cosmetics, you name it, it's being developed. And if you plan on entering into this market, understanding and abiding by compliance and regulations required for cannabis branding and packaging is critical to avoid lawsuits.

1. Why is compliant cannabis packaging crucial?

You probably already have a good understanding of the importance of packaging design when it comes to marketing, but when it comes to facing the federal regulation for cannabis consumption, it’s a whole different ballgame.

To be completely honest, state rules around cannabis products are still pretty hazy at the moment. Some states allow marijuana for medical use, some for recreational and it is changing at a very rapid rate.

When it comes to label and packaging design for marijuana, there is a lot of misleading information along with inconsistencies, making it challenging to know exactly WHAT has to be on your package design. If your branding or packaging does not meet compliance, you could face a very hefty fine and be ordered to stop using your logo or package design.

To avoid all of this, it is very important to work with a lawyer who specializes in the cannabis industry but also, work with a design team that understands the importance of these regulations, saving you the headache of finding out you violated a regulation you didn't even know exist. We work alongside some of the industry leaders in compliance verification which means, what we create for our clients for branding and packaging, gets an extra step of verification to make sure every element is compliant.

2. What does compliant cannabis packaging need?

First, let’s not think about aesthetics or graphics here. You’ll need to do the right thing before making it pretty. Below are items required for compliant cannabis packaging design.

Product identity:

This part of your packaging design must describe truly what is your cannabis product. For example, you should always state directly if it’s “CBD oil” or “CBD edible cookies”,… Adding some main critical benefits of the product is also good for this section.

Net quantity:

No matter if you’re selling your cannabis product as a supplement, food, or anything, your container must show the exact amount. Don’t forget to add the amount/ percentage of CBD per serving on to your label as well. For solid products, they measured by weight, and by pills if needed. For oil or other liquids, it should be measured by volume.

Nutrition information:

This is extremely important if your products are food or drinks. You should always place nutrition facts with detailed information for compliant cannabis packaging. However, if your products are supplementary, then you can replace this with a supplement facts panel.

Name & address of manufacturer:

These contact information must appear on your marijuana packaging and the label. This is not only for transparency, but it’s the basic FDA requirements. Customers must be able to know where to contact you, and where you do all the manufacturing.

Manufacturing date:

CBD, just like any other supplements or food product, degrades quality over time. So customers must be able to see when it expires, the manufacturing date, and any related information. This is what customers tend to check the most, so make sure you put it somewhere easy to see.

License number:

There are many brands putting products out there without having the right license. That’s why you should always put your license number on for compliant cannabis packaging. This will help you distinguish your brand from other rivals, and gain more trust from customers.

Third-party lab testing:

This is what you should add to your marijuana design for further credibility and transparency. Third lab party testing is what customers who are serious about the product would like to see. So why not invest a little bit more to reassure you that everything you put on the label is trustworthy?

QR code:

This is one of the additional designs, but still, our favorite to add on CBD packaging. Customers can scan the code and get access to the information they need about the product or brand without any hesitation. This will help you boost your reputation even more and gain more exposure to the online environment.

Warning and cautions:

It’s best to include a standard warning for children and pregnant women. It is also required that you place a 21+ warning and a wanting indicating that it is a marijuana product. States have very specific rules for font sizes required, the color that these warnings must be and so on.

3. Suggestion for great marijuana packaging

Finding the right packaging has always been a huge decision for every business. You might need to take a closer look into each type of packaging to see if it fits your product. There is no one solution for everything, but here are some suggestions that might help. From this, you can start working on compliant cannabis packaging.

Flowers or buds:

This will need smell-proof and child-resistant packaging. Your container must also protect the products at an ideal moisture and light exposure to ensure quality.

Vaporizer and extract:  

Those 2 are the most common CBD products, so there is plenty to work with. Since most of these products come in an oil solution, adding droppers is a great choice. Also, let’s not forget about the packaging material, a glass bottle is an option you could never go wrong with.

Edibles:

If you think the packaging for edibles is simple, think again. Since it’s not like any other food products, it must be child-proof to minimize any possible risk. Pouches or bags with safety locks, or boxes that can only open in some ways are a great choice for you.

Concentrate:

Balm, cream, or lotion is much simpler than any other CBD product. You can take inspiration from the cosmetic and skincare industry and still be good to go.

4. importance of understanding brand guidelines

Branding or your logo design also has to follow strict guidelines based on specific regulations from state to state. For instance, here in Maine, you cannot have a cannabis logo that uses any depiction of an animal, person or be attractive to persons under 21 years of age.

Recently a Maine-based cannabis company was fined $10,000 for including an image of a mermaid in their branding and was ordered to stop using that branding. We have had several clients come to us who have needed a brand refresh because they had a logo created for them only to find out it violated regulations for their branding.

We work with established and startup marijuana clients to create their cannabis-compliant designs.

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