3 Reasons Virginia Cannabis Companies Need Eco-Friendly Packaging Solutions

Virginia’s cannabis industry is newly minted and rapidly growing. With access to a fully recreational market on the precipice for 2024, the industry is bound to experience major expansion. In fact, Headset forecasts that the first year of legal cannabis sales in Virginia will bring in a whopping $447M. As the industry continues to expand, companies that are marketing cannabis in Virginia will need to ensure that their brands are ready to take on their growing and knowledgeable consumer base as well as their competition.

While many companies are focusing on shiny marketing materials and expanding their variety of cannabis products, those that focus on their differentiators are sure to position themselves nicely within the scope of Virginia’s cannabis market. An easy way to differentiate a cannabis brand is to invest in unique ways to capture an audience or target demographic. One of these differentiators is eco-friendly cannabis packaging in Virginia. Eco-friendly Virginia cannabis packaging solutions aren’t simply alternatives to the standard thick and opaque plastics being frequently used, but it’s also part of enacting more earth-friendly methods in a quest to make the cannabis industry greener.

Marketing Cannabis in Virginia

It’s not a secret that the cannabis industry has a considerable plastic problem. The industry’s overuse of plastic is the result of several factors including stringent guidelines mandated by state governments pertaining to specific protocols and child-proofing parameters. However, it is possible to partner with a packaging company that produces high-quality, customizable, eco-friendly packaging and still maintain compliance with local and state governments. At HiSierra, we take pride in our green packaging solutions and green manufacturing practices.

Three reasons why eco-friendly packaging is important for the Virginia cannabis market

1. Target the ideal consumer before recreational opens up.

Virginia is considered a “medium” recreational cannabis market. The state is home to approximately 8.6 million people — about 7 million of which are above 21 years of age. Since the state of Virginia is projecting that full recreational sales will begin as of 2024, this timeline gives emerging cannabis brands nearly 2 years to iron out their brand identities. This means brands can lay the groundwork for targeting their ideal consumers before the market goes wide open. If your cannabis brand is mission-driven, focuses on conscious consumerism or prioritizes any form of earth-friendly methods, further committing to that mission is a public testament to consumers that your brand is willing to face challenging issues head-on.

By tackling challenging issues like the industry’s plastic problem, consumers that align with your brand will have yet another reason to choose your products over competitors. Not to mention, beautiful customized packaging made from plant materials and recycled ocean plastics is sure to impress eco-conscious consumers and your everyday cannabis consumer.

2. Align with the state of Virginia’s mission to reduce its carbon footprint.

Virginia was the first Southern state to commit to going carbon-free by 2045. Even though this commitment is 20 years down the road, cannabis companies can commit to reducing their carbon footprint by the time the recreational market opens fully in 2024. Under a separate measure by the state government, Virginia also became the most Southern state to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative — a carbon cap-and-trade market among states in the Northeast. If Virginia voters are aligning with legislation to reduce carbon and make their state more eco-friendly, it may be wise for cannabis brands serving the Virginia populace to get on board with their mission.

3. Prove to your consumers that you’re committed to being more earth-friendly.

The topic of climate change doesn’t only apply to big industries like energy. Cannabis also contributes large amounts of carbon into our atmosphere by its cultivation, manufacturing and packaging issues. The industry’s carbon footprint is much larger than it should be, and an easy way to off-set this problem is by choosing eco-friendly packaging solutions. If it’s possible to create beautiful, customized packages that don’t sacrifice on compliance or keep products fresh, then why wouldn’t a company invest in small steps to make their business more green? Alluding to green practices simply isn’t enough. These days, transparency is key and customers are looking for brands that put their money behind important causes.

Virginia Cannabis Packaging

At HiSierra, we’re truly committed to making the cannabis industry greener. This is why we’ve invested in wind-powered, clean manufacturing methods and recycled materials to create our high-quality Virginia cannabis packaging solutions. If you’re a Virginia cannabis company, we’d recommend aligning with fellow Virginians on reducing carbon usage. It’s not only better for your brand, it’s better for the planet too.