New Ideas for Cannabis Solutions: Part 2: Smart Storage

Introduction

Elizabeth, Tomorrow Lab’s People and Finance manager is here again to talk consumer products, design trends and new technologies – this time for a part two – exploring the (somewhat) new, and emerging cannabis market. Here again to find what gaps there are in the market for physical products, since that is what Tomorrow Lab does best!

During my exploration for Part 1 of this series, I kept thinking about the storage aspect of cannabis as a consumable product. If you have not read Part 1, all about grinders, I highly recommend sauntering over there for an enlightening read. I kept contemplating how the grinder plays such a star role in the accessory market and overall cannabis experience. Yet the grinder, along with all the various accessories needed, doesn’t have an industry standard “home.” This product idea does exist, by way of the term ‘stash box,’ but what I found currently in the market varied widely and didn’t seem to address any more than a handful of considerations users may have.

1. Exploration

What is it?

Storage solutions in the cannabis market vary widely, from simple solutions like mason or vacuum sealing jars in various sizes, to humidity controlled containers and “stash” boxes. I looked at many stash boxes of varying sizes, materials, price points and standout features. The ones I narrowed down to all had features I thought the average cannabis user would appreciate, while also keeping aesthetics in mind (we are, after all, designers!).

I should also note that in my research I found many of these boxes to be out of stock, on pre-order or completely sold out. Which tells me that products like these are currently in high demand with lots of opportunity.

What storage solutions are currently available in the market?

I was immediately drawn into Tulip’s quirky looking storage sets, with their eye catching color combinations, visually pleasing layouts and their incorporation of ribbed textural details (potentially making for an enjoyable tactile experience). They offer a 7 piece ($195) and 12 piece ($295) set.

Each set includes at least three sized jars (medium, small and tube jar), rolling tray, to go pouch, labeling marker and a few humidity packs.
The box itself claims to be air tight and is made of plastic from recycled water bottles. This could be a challenge over time with UV exposure, normal wear and tear, potential cleaning obstacles and plastic can affect flower’s aroma, taste and potency.
On the organization front, I do appreciate that each storage accessory has a place, or ‘home,’ with room to add more jars. The center open compartments are meant for small items like lighters, pre-rolls, cleaning accessories, vape cartridges, etc.
The locking feature is a more basic built-in combo lock, which I felt was a bit disappointing to see at the price point these boxes are selling for.

While it’s clear that the overall design has been considered, it still looks like just a lock box sitting on the shelf, rather than an aesthetically pleasing piece to spark discussion and enjoyment. I started to ask myself if displaying the stash box would be an important feature to some end users.

Wanting to find another traditional-solutioned, yet design focused box, I found Stori ($189), which has won at least six design based awards!

The full Stori box comes with six multi-colored pods (holding up to seven grams of flower) and six travel tubes (meant for pre-rolls). I imagine the assortment of colors is to differentiate strains or different cannabis products. Also included is a dry erase marker for labeling and some rolling papers.
The most interesting feature of the pods was that the lids hold a humidity controlling bead pack, which means that the case itself is not being humidity controlled.
The travel tube caps have an interior space that holds one pre-roll each in place making transit a breeze.
The entire Stori case and containers are made of aluminum alloy, which made me contemplate if this material should become an industry standard.
On the Stori website, they claim that the case and containers are all child resistant, yet I was not able to find anywhere about how they achieve that.
The biggest drawback for me was the fact there is no exterior lock actually protecting the interior contents.
This was the first stash box I came across that offered a connected app. The app is more basic, allowing only for purchase tracking and price and new product alerts.

Next, I wanted to find a storage solution that a cannabis connoisseur would appreciate. When I think of a connoisseur of something, I think of someone who is knowledge focused, likes to share that knowledge both in conversation and visuals, and who appreciates quality, taste and function. While I realize Lokkboxx’s ($215) box is more about aesthetics than others, I still found many features of note.

The ‘box’ itself is mainly a display tray with five mini bell glass jars (holds up to 3.5 grams of flower) and a few sections for storing accessories (including a cute little magnifying glass!).
It has a unique humidity control feature; a hidden channel that connects all the chambers allowing for simultaneous control among the glass display jars. The amount of humidity is controlled by the amount of hydro beads used in the bottom compartment of the tray.
I did not come across many fully see-through storage solutions – for obvious UV related reasons – so this option really stuck out as a beautiful, eye-catching choice. It looks amazing sitting out on a shelf or coffee table, invites your gaze and makes it easy to approach and inquire about.

Wanting to find as luxe of a stash box as I could, I found the brand Apothecarry, which specializes in both tobacco and cannabis storage. The design aesthetic of Apothecarry definitely feels geared towards “professionals,” with some design aspects taken from the fine cigar, wine and liquor industries. “High style and high quality goods designed with the upscale smoker in mind.”

The box (the model I chose at $275) itself is made of alderwood, part of the birch family, which is one of the softest hardwoods, which hardly ever cracks and does well in both dry and wet climates.
There are four glass jars, four airtight silicone dab jars for waxes, oils and concentrates, along with a travel container to hold a cigar or pre-roll. The dab jars are black on the outside to keep UV light out, but are neon yellow on the interior so the user can see and access the product easily.
I was disappointed to still see the security feature being manual, only offering either an old school lock and key and/or combination side lock. While having both does offer a manual two-factor authentication, it does not guarantee that it’s impenetrable.

They have come out with a new stash box, full of bell glass jars with a glass top and LED lights, clearly for the entertainer! 😄While this box says the containers are meant for oils and waxes, I could see using this for educating, entertaining, and displaying all the different strains and cannabis products, including edibles to be offered. There is no mention of humidity control for this box, so as a buyer I would only consider this for short term storage, and mainly for sharing.

Finally, I wanted to see what I could find in regards to the most secure, yet visually pleasing storage case. Trova’s personal biometric vault fit that need perfectly. While this product is not specifically designed for smokers of any type, there are so many features that I believe a smoker would appreciate!

Firstly, there is an integrated humidity sensor located inside.
A rubber o-ring helps to provide an airtight seal, and contain odors.
The entire box and internal contents are made of aluminum alloy for durability, ease of access (i.e. moving it from place to place) and making it easy to clean.
Two internal USB-C ports for charging devices.
And finally, a plethora of options for access and locking. There is a ‘tap to open’ NFC access, a biometric fingerprint lock, or users can unlock through their app, allowing for a truly keyless experience.
The app allows for battery status, timed locking, motion detection, user access, and humidity level monitoring.

With a $600 price tag, it is no wonder they offer a mini ‘go’ version, which comes with most of all the features listed above, but in a compact case. Perfect for keeping in your day bag or while traveling (with a much more accessible price point of $200).

Product Opportunities & Conclusion

After reviewing what was currently available in the market, I started brainstorming what characteristics potentially define the stash box user and how boxes could be made with different features, to fit various users lifestyle and needs.

There could be a fleet of boxes that are specialized by cannabis device (bowls, bong, vapes, etc), by cannabis item type (flower, edibles, etc), or by the type of user. While I could go into detail for each of these three categories, I ultimately decided to delve deeper into only the last category, as I thought user type as a product had not been considered yet. Essentially I wanted to create an ultimate stash box that catered towards cannabis users most paramount needs, for both their consumption and enjoyment. I came up with four user types to explore: medical, safety focused, entertainer and connoisseur.

I asked myself the same questions for each user type category:

Who is the customer?
How often are they consuming cannabis?
Where is it being stored?
Are aesthetics important?
Is the material of the box and inside contents a top consideration?
Is the size of the box a top consideration?
What features are most important?
What accessories are most needed?
And finally, are there any special considerations that need to be addressed for this particular user?

Medical

Medical cannabis is usually used for pain management/relief, anxiety, sleep assistance, cancer treatment effects, epilepsy/seizures, muscle spasms, among other ailments. Generally, most medical users do not smoke, however if they do it is most likely vaping or pre-rolls due to the overall ease. Many medical users turn to edibles and tinctures therefore, they may not need all the accessories or features associated with flower consumption.

For the medical user, cannabis is most likely prescribed by their doctor. Users may be on the older side and it could be their first experience with cannabis. They could use cannabis on a daily or as-need basis. Their box should live somewhere that is easily accessible, but should also be able to be stored away out of sight easily. One idea that came to mind was having an integrated option, for example it could be a more permanent solution like a drawer insert (ex. knives) or a locked medicine cabinet. I do not think aesthetics are as important as other users boxes. The material of the box should be durable, lightweight and potentially travel friendly. As we learned, aluminum would be a good choice here.

I also thought of tactile elements on the outside of the box, playing between smooth and slightly textured surfaces on the jar lids or an exterior handle. The main size consideration would be if the user lived in a small space with limited shelving and counter space. I think the box having a detachable compartment for travel (within and outside the home) would be a good solution. The most important feature of the box should be making the entire user experience intuitive – there should be no questions as to how to access it or what goes where. Safety could also be a top feature consideration, as we need to assume that not every user lives alone. Lastly, LED indicator lids to differentiate between strains or products could help the user find what they are looking for quickly and without question. For accessories, I thought about including specialized cleaning tools to make the entire experience even more accessible. Finally, ergonomics should be highly considered here for the internal containers. One way around having to manually open all containers, could be a fingerprint lock on each item.

Safety Focused

There are all types of safety concerned cannabis users, probably more than we think. I recently tried out a new dispensary and an older gentleman next to me was chatting with a sales representative about how he had never tried cannabis before. He was interested in the different ways he could consume, but also how he could keep his items safely away from his grandkids when they visit. 😍As cannabis becomes more widely accepted and more newbies across age ranges experiment at home, I believe there will be a growing demand around safety products in this category.

Most safety focused users are new to cannabis, parents, older folks, or generally health and safety conscious. I imagine these users are occasionally consuming, maybe on weekends or a few times per week. This box should be stored out of sight and reach, most likely in a closet, bedroom or living room. This box should be the most discreet looking and be able to blend into its surroundings. For example, it could look like a book to fit seamlessly on a bookshelf – or be a box within a box. The material and closure should be very durable – I imagine a kid throwing it down the stairs, don’t want it to pop open! I don’t think size is a top consideration since it will most likely be stationary or in the home. The safety locking mechanism is the most important feature. There should be a type of two-factor authentication in the locking process. Whether that be a biometric fingerprint lock first, then a digital punch code, physical key or app. One feature I think would be really cool isa digital screen on the front, allowing for a passcode, but also displaying important information like the date it was last opened and current humidity level. There could also be a fingerprint lock on each container inside, or all containers controlled by an app.

The app could send alerts when the box is opened and locked again, which jar is opened, GPS location of each jar and the box itself, automatic locking after a set amount of time and an alarm when there is suspected tampering. Lastly, I envision this box to have levels or tiers within, for each of the different cannabis categories (think a jewelry box), since each category requires its own type of canisters, organization spaces and humidity control. The sounds of this box and closures should be highly considered. The user may consume during odd hours and need to keep it discreet. The freshness and longevity of their stored products may be important, as they may only use products periodically. Perhaps a digital screen could be on the top of each container displaying the date the contents were put in.

Entertainer

Who doesn’t love to entertain?! 😆

I imagine this consumer as knowledgeable, more heavily a group user and someone who likes to display and show off their wares. I believe it is safe to assume that they most likely use cannabis on a regular or daily basis.

This box most likely lives in the living room, like an art object and should be able to move from room to room easily. Aesthetics are incredibly important, even more than functionality. The box should draw the eye in and be able to spark conversation (where did you get that?) and should look appealing closed and open. While the material does not need to be heavy duty, it should be protective from the elements (UV, air, humidity) while being made of luxe materials like wood or bone.

There should be many “bell-and-whistle” features, making it fun and interactive. There could be a welcome screen upon opening, asking the user what they would like (for example, indica or sativa strain?), which the user then pushes a button and then a ring of LEDs lights up the products or containers that match what the user desires. The box and containers could have sound reactive LED lights that connect to ambient music and match the beat – c’mon it’s a party! 🥳

The tiered format could come back here too, with a top section that has product to share and a bottom secret section for personal items that has a fingerprint lock, so the box can be left out while entertaining. Since this user most likely dabbles in all cannabis products, but most likely mainly flower, there should be space for all the necessary accessories, and then some. I think the connected app for this box has a lot of great opportunities.

The app experience could be a social media opportunity – connecting with fellow cannabis users and exploring the contents and products that are in their boxes. The app could also include note taking, with sections for tasting notes, recommendations and purchase history.

Connoisseur

We all have a friend who is just that expert, you go to them for advice and recommendations – and they love it! They keep up on the latest trends, try new products and are active in their local (cannabis) community.

The connoisseur is an experienced, knowledgeable user who appreciates high quality and a broad product assortment. They often use cannabis on a daily basis, and therefore their box is most likely living out in their living room. Aesthetics and size may be important, but not as critical as organization, function and protecting the potency of their products. The material should be the most protective from the elements and there should be tactile considerations, like how it feels to handle each component. The box and internal contents could have covered leather or lacquered wood details with brass accents, making for a visually and tacilly pleasing experience.

The containers should be as airtight as possible, for example they could have nitrogen injection closures like a wine bottle cork. Lighting on the inside of the box, perhaps the entire lid of the box, could give an even soft light and could be dimmed for extra moodiness. Lastly, this box would most likely be the most spendy due to the materials and attention to special details.

Wow, I know that was a lot to get through! I researched and contemplated these topics for quite a while (of course with breaks in between), but revisiting to write this article brought on a few more ideas and made me want my ultimate stash box even more!

Check out these prior Tomorrow Lab client projects in the cannabis and smart storage space:

Smart Cap; reminder technology for consumer goods
Packet; high volume digital storage postcard
Dadi; reproductive preservation for men
Tync; accurate, portable CBD dispenser

If you have a new cannabis product or smart storage idea and want to bring it to life – connect with us for a free consultation here!