The Rise of Solventless Cartridges – The #1 Vaporizer Cartridge

Solventless cartridges, once thought impossible, are now starting to be produced by more than just a tiny handful of companies. The once niche segment of the concentrates market is steadily becoming a fixture on sales shelves and in a brand’s portfolios. What used to be a rare find at the dispensary is now a standard fixture that features differently sourced material like rosin carts and hash carts. 

A real luxury vaporizer option, solventless vapes offers consumers an enhanced experience without any solvents along the way. In doing so, consumers get to experience a concentrate that retains the original plant’s terpene profile and other essential compounds as the truest expression of the plant itself. 

While it may be much easier to find nowadays, solventless cartridges still embody the holy grail of cannabis vapes. These golden beauties stand out among the rest of the market and many of its subpar, solvent-extracted products. 

With solventless production on the rise, so too are its cartridges. Let’s take a few minutes to learn more about solventless vapes. 

Solventless is Accessible 

Up until fairly recently, cannabis producers were virtually resigned to having to use solvents to extract many of their products. If they wanted to become a profitable venture and keep the doors open, they’d need to create a product that can be replicated at a level to meet the demand of the market. 

However, over time, solventless methods began to enhance. In time, they went from DIY methods like straighteners to small-batch production for commercial and personal use. Then, in recent years, solventless methods like our rosin presses  began to show that commercial-grade products can be made from solventless processes. 

The boom of both personal and commercial-grade solventless extraction methods has increased product availability. Now, scores of consumers can pick up concentrates from retailers, producers or directly from a home processor as a gift. And while a premium product comes with a higher price point, markets in some states are starting to adjust. In doing so, prices should come down to some degree. If it proves true, then consumers will have two once glaring hurdles cleared out of the way on their path to consuming solventless cartridges and other items. 

A 100%Tropicana Cookies live rosin solventless vape cartridge from Kush Masters

Solventless Provides Further Assurance 

For years, the market has suffered from mislabeled or untested products, be it the contents of the product to its potency. While the issues were concerning, nothing had posed such a consequence that the public took much notice. That all changed last year in the United States. The EVALI crisis (otherwise known as the Vape Crisis) served as the most recent example as to why consumers need to know what’s in their products. 

The crisis, almost entirely spurred on by illicit actors using the illegal additive vitamin E acetate, made many cautious as to what was in their cannabis products. These new fearful folks joined others in the cannabis community holding reservations over a product processed using chemicals. Like the public overall, cannabis consumers, in large part, had shifted to a more natural approach in recent years, and chemical extraction wasn’t ideal. 

With solventless options, consumers get a vape cartridge that doesn’t undergo chemical extraction. Nor does it lose its terpene content from the chemicals that strip that plant of its natural compounds. In doing so, rosin carts or hash carts retain their own flavors and aromas rather than being blasted back into the oil when all is said and done. 

That said, solventless producers need to be just like everyone else and provide consumers with lab tests and proof of authenticity to ensure their product is up to its labeling. 

The Market Takes Notice

There’s still plenty of time to establish a brand in the solventless cartridge space. That said, companies in multiple legal states are quickly moving to bring them to market. Many have picked up on the demand for solventless products like rosin and hash carts. In turn, they’ve created their own lines of dynamic solventless vaporizer cartridges. 

CAMP's live rosin cartridge, the first in Nevada

Green Growth Brands is one company creating stellar solventless offerings. Its Stargazer line from CAMP offers both cartridges and a disposable pen to cater to both types of vape smoker. Made from Lemon Tree flower and steam-distilled Inferno OG terpenes, Stargazer is a strain that connoisseur consumers are sure to enjoy. 

The same can be said for the fine folks at Olio. Their line of solventless options includes rosin jam, rosin batter, classic budder and classic coins. The company calls its pens the "solution to dabbing on the go," and it's difficult to argue. While rosin cartridges aren't the go-to choice of purists, they do appeal to a much broader cannabis audience, which is good for solventless overall.

Producers across the country are getting in on the action as states pass cannabis reform laws. If the upward trajectory of the market and legalization continues, solventless producers could find themselves poised to be some of the top earners from the green rush. 

Several Forms of Solventless Cartridge Production

There are multiple ways to create authentic, 100% solventless carts. In fact, many labs have spent tons of time researching and developing these methods to create the perfect shelf-stable rosin cartridge before launching. These advancements in shelf stability allowed the concentrates market to flourish further while establishing solventless as a credible option. 

Creating a more shelf-stable product allows companies to offer consumers a longer-lasting concentrate. In doing so, the product stays fresh longer without losing its terpenes to age degradation. We can look at products like shatter and oils, two products that are often winterized for better shelf stability. In these products, we can see that THC content isn’t affected. However, it should be noted that a decline in lipids can occur, which will reduce the retention of terpenes. 

Get Ready. Solventless is Coming.

Solventless vape cartridge products are gaining on the market, and are forecasted to be everywhere soon enough. The once niche choice is now on its way to becoming a mainstream option. While on the rise, these products remain a superior choice due to its contents and consistency. 

In a time when cartridges aren’t fully trusted by the general consuming public, solventless cartridges could be what earns their trust back. With concentrates likely to remain a product of interest, and vaping likely to regain most of its audience, producers would be wise to consider adding hash and rosin carts to their portfolios.

Are you looking to start making your own solventless cartridges at your business? If so, contact us today to talk to one of our experts about the equipment you need to get the job done.