Rosin Cartridges: A Leading Product in the Luxury Cannabis Market
Data over the past few years is starting to show what connoisseur hash smokers already know: solventless products are superior.
Rosin cartridges are only expected to get hotter in the coming years due to their high-quality, flavor profiles, and accessibility, all in a portable device. With that being said, processing labs must consider adding solventless extraction and rosin cartridge production to their operation if they haven't already. By investing in top-of-the-line equipment and premier training, your business could be making an excellent investment in its future position in the market.
The Booming Solventless Cartridge Market Expected to Grow
Despite the EVALI crisis, cannabis concentrate cartridges remain hot. While distillate and CO2 extracted cartridges still hold a steady position in the market, solventless carts continue to grow in popularity as more consumers try them and learn how they are made. When you remove the chemicals, solvents, and additives that are often used when making vape carts, the quality of your starting cannabis will be fully expressed. This is ideal for connoisseurs and patients looking for an experience that gives the essence of the live plant and the benefits that come with it.
According to Marijuana Business Daily, overall adult use marijuana categories have grown since last year. What should really be noted though, is that from the first quarter of 2020 until now, vape pen consumption has grown nearly 30% while the rosin category has grown over 200%. As more and more people discover rosin and its benefits, the number of people seeking to produce "portable" rosin will continue to grow.
This presents a particularly favorable opportunity for individuals and brands to enter the solventless and rosin cartridge market before there is any chance of over saturation or increased competition. These products are valuable items to consumers for their chemical-free composition. They are just as appealing to producers for their high dollar value on dispensary shelves.
Why Go Solventless?
As noted above, customers are seeking solventless products in growing numbers. This emerging trend aligns with similar lifestyle trends around food, healthcare, beauty, and other products. Much like how support for cannabis has grown as a medical option, people are wanting to return to natural products. With solventless pens and carts, consumers find there is indeed a product that touts some of the highest potencies on the market without any risk of encountering elements aside from what came from the plant.
Much of today's vape market remains made up of mass-produced cartridges that contain additives, solvents, and are often made from sub-optimal flower. When producing rosin carts, starting with quality cannabis is essential. As we always say, “fire in = fire out.” If you don't begin with top-quality flower, then the outcome is sure to be less than ideal, as there’s no hiding in solventless extraction.
As the name implies, true solventless or rosin carts aren't made using hydrocarbons, distillate, CO2, or re-added terpenes. They are made by mechanically separating the rosin and isolating the most viscous, terpene, and cannabinoid rich oil so that it can be enjoyed via portable vape. So, instead of poor flavors caused by distillate and additives, solventless cart consumers are getting a product extracted with ice, water, heat, and pressure, providing for a superior concentrate all around. Plus, solventless cartridges are typically made in limited batches due to the price and elusiveness of top tier starting material. More often than not, the smaller the batch is the better the quality.
Pictured: Lazercat 510 thread solventless rosin cartridge and battery. Photo from Instagram: @lazercatcannabis
The all around benefits of solventless products continue to present themselves clearly for consumers and producers alike. Free of chemicals and produced in premium, limited batches, solventless cannabis products are the future of the market. Customers are willing to pay higher prices for these top-notch products that can bring producers a sizable earning. Now that’s a win-win.
How PurePressure Fits into the Equation
PurePressure is excited to be at the forefront of the market boom. We've seen an increasing number of brands utilize our equipment and products to produce solventless hash products and rosin carts. Across the US and beyond, brands are delivering solventless products and rosin cartridges to consumers. The following companies have dialed in their processes to create vape carts using PurePressure equipment and products. Please note, there are many incredible solventless brands, we just named a few here:
- Olio (@dabolio710) - Colorado
- Lazercat (@lazercatcannabis) - Colorado
- Äkta Creations (@aktacreations) - Colorado
- Voda (@vodaconcentrates) - Colorado
- Nokhu (@nokhulabs) - Colorado
- Pyramid (@pyramidpensusa) - Colorado, Michigan
- Blue River (@blueriverterps) - California, Florida
- Doc Greens (@docgreensofficial) - California
- CAMP (@wheresyourcamp) - Nevada
Pictured: live rosin vape cartridge from Äkta Creations. Photo from Instagram: @aktacreations
Brands have seen success in taking a cultivar and making it into multiple hash SKUs. For example, Lazercat has a cross called “Funkie Cookie” (GMO x Grape Cookies) that can be enjoyed as live rosin or as a solventless vape cart. Olio will wash and press a batch of Strawnana, they will gram some of it up as Classic Rosin, some of it Cold Cure Rosin, and some will be made into rosin carts. As of lately, Olio and other brands have begun making second press rosin carts as an additional SKU. This way, price-driven consumers can experience live rosin cartridges at a bit of a lower price point.
Pictured: Slurricane #1 second press live rosin cartridge from Olio. Photo from Instagram: @dabolio710
PurePressure strives to provide producers with reliable equipment for more consistent results. The intuitive touch-screen Pressware technology on each press gives total control and customization, allowing producers to save presses as recipes for repeated use. There is also the ability to select what material you are pressing, your bag size, how much PSI you are applying, and more.
Pictured: PurePressure's Pressware LCD touchscreen technology on the Longs Peak pneumatic rosin press.
Our 25µm micron stainless steel mesh is a great addition when making these cartridges. It allows only the finest, most viscous oil to escape from the hash which is what we are looking for when making vapor carts.
Using the Correct Cartridges
We mentioned how starting with a high-quality cultivar is essential to producing superior rosin. While that is certainly true, it is not the only factor in making the best rosin carts on the market. Premium cartridge hardware is required for your consumers to enjoy the delicious product you’ve created. Opting for lesser quality cartridges tends to result in leaky cartridges, and sometimes ones that won’t even deliver the vapor.
There are many popular brands on the market to choose from. Testing cartridges before you decide which ones to purchase in bulk may seem costly but in the long run, it is worth it to find quality cartridge hardware that works well with your product.
Note that there are different types of hardware and not all cartridges work with all batteries. Most commonly, producers will utilize a 510-thread to make vape carts. However, vape pods are also used and are compatible with devices like the PAX Era. A low voltage option is critical in order to produce a flavorful hit with solventless carts in the batteries they are attached to. Standard, non-adjustable high voltage batteries tend to squander the delicate aromas and flavors that rosin vape cartridges are capable of, so we suggest finding one in the 2.4v - 3.2v range.
Pictured: Lemon Cake solventless pod (L) and ONYC Sour Diesel solventless 510 thread cartridge (R) from Collin Palmer (@vessellifescience)
Now is the Time to Go Solventless
Today’s sales figures are the writing on the wall. The solventless market is ready to boom. In coming years, concentrates as a whole will command a massive share of the market, and solventless products are likely to lead the way.
Going solventless makes sense from every point of the supply chain. Producers find themselves with low entry costs into the market while providing their operation with a much safer extraction process. Most importantly, consumers get a potent and chemical-free oil that works for dabbing, cartridges, edibles, and much more.
The time to get into solventless production is now. PurePressure is here to support all of your solventless hash and rosin equipment needs. Looking for more help? Our sister company PureCannalabs offers solventless cannabis extraction consulting services. Clients can learn specialized extraction techniques and training for popular products like full melt ice water hash, rosin carts, solventless edibles, and much more. PureCannalabs also offers SOP kits, workflow efficiency analysis, site planning and lab design, plus more. Reach out to team@purecannalabs.com if you have interest in working with our professionals.