{"id":2010,"date":"2021-10-26T14:17:17","date_gmt":"2021-10-26T14:17:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/wp-home\/?p=182715"},"modified":"2021-10-26T14:17:17","modified_gmt":"2021-10-26T14:17:17","slug":"6-california-weed-brands-that-go-the-extra-mile-with-merch-and-accessories","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/?p=2010","title":{"rendered":"6 California weed brands that go the extra mile with merch and accessories"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>  <title>6 California weed brands that go the extra mile with merch and accessories &#8211; Leafly<\/title>     <!-- This is Index Exchange, a script\/\/3rd-party integration that interjects GAM. It needs to be 'ahead' of GTM in the DOM, which comes from Cephalopod. GTM loads GAM. This script needs to setup it's interjection stuff before GAM loads. --> <!-- End Index Exchange --> <!-- Quotes = strings--><!-- No quotes = boolean-->\t   <!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v17.1.2 (Yoast SEO v17.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->                  <!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. --> <\/p>\n<p> <!-- BEGIN Sailthru Horizon Meta Information --><\/p>\n<p><!-- END Sailthru Horizon Meta Information -->  <!-- Google Publisher Tag --> <!-- End Google Publisher Tag --> <!-- Google Tag Manager --> <!-- End Google Tag Manager --> <!-- Chartbeat --> <!-- End Chartbeat --><br \/>\n <!-- Google Tag Manager (noscript) -->   <!-- End Google Tag Manager (noscript) -->   <title>Leafly<\/title>     <title>Leafly \u00ae<\/title>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              <title>Loading\u2026<\/title>     <\/p>\n<div class=\"bg-white fixed flex hidden inset-0 items-start md:h-auto md:items-center overflow-auto\" id=\"age-gate-container\">\n<div class=\"bg-white md:h-auto mx-auto p-lg text-sm w-full\" id=\"age-gate\">\n<p><label for=\"select-country\">Where are you from?<\/label><\/p>\n<div class=\"age-gate__info\">\n<p><button class=\"button\" data-testid=\"age-gate-no-button\" id=\"tou-cancel\">no<\/button><button class=\"button ml-md\" data-testid=\"age-gate-yes-button\" id=\"tou-continue\">yes<\/button><\/p>\n<p><label class=\"checkbox__label my-xl\"><span class=\"text-xs\" id=\"remember-user-label\">Remember me for 30 days. <br \/>I confirm that this is not a shared device.<\/span><\/label><\/p>\n<p class=\"error error--underage hidden\">Darn! You&#8217;re not old enough to use Leafly.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"hidden age-gate__loading\">Redirecting you to<span class=\"redirect-domain\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"text-xs mt-auto\">By accessing this site, you accept<br \/>\nthe <a class=\"py-xl\" data-testid=\"tou-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/info\/terms-of-use\">Terms of Use<\/a><br \/>\nand <a class=\"py-xl\" data-testid=\"pp-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/info\/privacy-policy\">Privacy Policy<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"container my-xl\">\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col md:col-9\" id=\"article-content\">\n<p>When I first started budtending in California\u2019s then-medical marijuana industry in 2015, cannabis \u201cbrands\u2019\u201d were few.<\/p>\n<p>This was before METRC, before <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/learn\/legalization\/california#reclaw\">Proposition 64<\/a> and the taxation squeeze, and before cannabis entrepreneurs had to rely on a lot more than word of mouth to ensure their edibles and pounds moved off the shelf. Some would leave dispensary staff with free nugs, a sample edible here and there, maybe a t-shirt, and a handful of stickers. What a simple time.<\/p>\n<p>But by 2016, it was evident that legalization was happening, and that weed companies would need brand identities. Some companies, like <a href=\"https:\/\/cookies.co\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Cookies<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kivaconfections.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Kiva Confections<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.alienlabs.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Alien Labs<\/a>, were doing this years in advance.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>Solidifying merch style<\/h2>\n<p>Ted Lidie, Alien Labs\u2019 co-founder, remembers what it was like back then. His company\u2019s extraterrestrial aesthetic was part love for all things deep space, but more so a way to strike out from the crowd and help cultivate a visual identity for their brand that wasn\u2019t inundated in weed leaves, that people could wear out and about and if you know, you know.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI made Alien Labs so I could smoke the weed I wanted to smoke and share it with the people that I wanted to share it with,\u201d he says. \u201cWe\u2019ve worked for several years on dialing in our merch, and our customers really enjoy that. The biggest thing that we have in this industry is trust.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>From a budtender\u2019s point of view<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" alt=\"palm trees on pink sky background. minimal and surreal. summer vacation\" class=\"wp-image-182741 has-ll lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/6-california-weed-brands-that-go-the-extra-mile-with-merch-and-accessories-1.jpg,compress&amp;w=550 550w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/6-california-weed-brands-that-go-the-extra-mile-with-merch-and-accessories-1.jpg,compress&amp;w=740 740w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/6-california-weed-brands-that-go-the-extra-mile-with-merch-and-accessories-1.jpg,compress&amp;w=1100 1100w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/6-california-weed-brands-that-go-the-extra-mile-with-merch-and-accessories-1.jpg,compress&amp;w=1480 1480w\"><\/figure>\n<p>Fast-forward to when the pandemic started, I began to almost rely on the regular non-cannabis gifts from sales reps when they would make their socially distanced deliveries. I wasn\u2019t alone. Patients and consumers alike needed quality equipment and paraphernalia to mitigate both their pre-existing conditions and new health challenges, both mental and physical, brought on by the pandemic.<\/p>\n<p>And let me say, just because a cannabis brand doles out the free swag doesn\u2019t make it good. Many a weed tchotchke gets passed along to friends and family, or (sadly) goes to the recycling bin because has more novelty than function.<\/p>\n<p>Now that you know my relative standards, I\u2019m happy to reveal the Cali cannabis companies that go above and beyond to give you good greens <em>and <\/em>the accessories and merch to make the most of them.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>1. Paradiso<\/h3>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img alt class=\"wp-image-182764 has-ll lazyload\" width=\"600\" height=\"600\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/6-california-weed-brands-that-go-the-extra-mile-with-merch-and-accessories-2.jpg,compress&amp;w=550 550w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/6-california-weed-brands-that-go-the-extra-mile-with-merch-and-accessories-2.jpg,compress&amp;w=740 740w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/6-california-weed-brands-that-go-the-extra-mile-with-merch-and-accessories-2.jpg,compress&amp;w=1100 1100w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/6-california-weed-brands-that-go-the-extra-mile-with-merch-and-accessories-2.jpg,compress&amp;w=1480 1480w\"><figcaption>(Courtesy of Paradiso)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>For a while there, enamel pins had cannabis companies in a chokehold. There are some really creative ones nowadays produced by some of the other names on this list, but to this day my favorite pin I\u2019ve ever received is a bespectacled flamingo smoking a joint, and <a href=\"https:\/\/paradisogardens.myshopify.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">it comes from a little-known company named Paradiso<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m also a sucker for pastels, so every time a Paradiso demo or product drop came around, I was sure to grab a box of matches, a tote bag or more pins. I\u2019m also a disciple of the paper and tips hybrid pack, which Paradiso provides in abundance.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"h-2-flow-kana\">2. Flow Kana<\/h3>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img alt=\"photo of black Flow Kana hat and mug\" class=\"wp-image-182876 has-ll lazyload\" width=\"724\" height=\"724\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/6-california-weed-brands-that-go-the-extra-mile-with-merch-and-accessories-3.jpg,compress&amp;w=550 550w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/6-california-weed-brands-that-go-the-extra-mile-with-merch-and-accessories-3.jpg,compress&amp;w=740 740w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/6-california-weed-brands-that-go-the-extra-mile-with-merch-and-accessories-3.jpg,compress&amp;w=1100 1100w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/6-california-weed-brands-that-go-the-extra-mile-with-merch-and-accessories-3.jpg,compress&amp;w=1480 1480w\"><figcaption>(Courtesty of Flow Kana)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Even <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/industry\/how-wasteful-is-indoor-cannabis-cultivation\">as evidence surfaces that indoor cannabis is a contributor to climate change<\/a>, sun-grown weed is still chronically underrated. <\/p>\n<p>I have received an abundance of <a href=\"https:\/\/flowkanamerch.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">swag and paraphernalia from the sustainable, sungrown cannabis brand, Flow Kana<\/a>, over the years, and it doesn\u2019t shock me at all that back in 2018 they managed to become the first cannabis company to send (sustainable, of course) gift boxes to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.emeraldreport.com\/free-cannabis-lands-years-oscars-gift-bags\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">that year\u2019s Academy Award nominees<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>I have yet to be nominated for an Oscar, but I have used the Flow Kana grinder gifted to me many moons ago almost every day since, and it shows no signs of slowing down. I\u2019ve packed my grinder, papers, and lighter (sometimes some hemp wick) into their handy stash bags, which I then threw in a branded tote bag and went about my canna-business.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>3. Alien Labs<\/h3>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CTpoEGHPgzK\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\"><\/blockquote>\n<p>One of my favorite things about Alien Labs, besides their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/strains-products\/best-marijuana-preroll-california-2021\">exemplary pre-rolls<\/a> and galactic-level flower, is the intention in their branding. Lidie says the brand is an extension of his own love for streetwear fashion and skate culture, saying:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote is-style-solid-color\">\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s just so many different things that go into making a high-quality garment, and we take the same exact approach with our weed that we do with the clothes. Everything has to be high-end because everything [in the brand] is high-end. \u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.twentysixtynine.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Their wearable merch<\/a> includes a \u201cKrypto Stonks\u201d satirical two-piece set and some enamel pins you can spot through a dab cloud, even a timely capsule collection for Halloween. <\/p>\n<p>My favorite of their offerings are the funky-colored Pelican cases, the glow-in-the-dark rolling tray, and most importantly, their astral Re:Stash jars.<\/p>\n<p> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/strains-products\/must-have-420-accessories-based-on-stoner-persona\" class=\"wp-block-leafly-blocks-leafly-single-inline-block leafly-inline-related-story\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"border border-deep-green-alt border-l-0 border-r-0 my-xl p-md font-bold\">\n<p>Related<\/p>\n<p>Must-have 420 accessories based on your stoner persona<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a> <\/p>\n<h3>4. CannaCraft<\/h3>\n<p>Is this cheating? <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cannacraft.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CannaCraft isn\u2019t actually one brand, but an umbrella of cannabis companies<\/a> producing everything from THC-V beverages to artisanal chocolates to broad-spectrum CBD tinctures, and many smokables and vapables in between. <\/p>\n<p>There is no guaranteed, reliable formula to ensure a cannabis company\u2019s success, but providing the masses with functionally complementary (and complimentary) accessories has yet to prove detrimental. <\/p>\n<p>They provide reusable bottle caps for the Lagunitas Hi-Fi line, recipes for their Satori artisanal chocolates, multiple branded masks, and a variety of bags that aren\u2019t your standard cotton tote.<\/p>\n<h3>5. Sessions Supply Co.<\/h3>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img width=\"819\" height=\"1024\" alt=\"photo of Sessions water bottle in front of scenic mountain background\" class=\"wp-image-182777 has-ll lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/6-california-weed-brands-that-go-the-extra-mile-with-merch-and-accessories-4.jpg,compress&amp;w=550 550w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/6-california-weed-brands-that-go-the-extra-mile-with-merch-and-accessories-4.jpg,compress&amp;w=740 740w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/6-california-weed-brands-that-go-the-extra-mile-with-merch-and-accessories-4.jpg,compress&amp;w=1100 1100w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/6-california-weed-brands-that-go-the-extra-mile-with-merch-and-accessories-4.jpg,compress&amp;w=1480 1480w\"><figcaption>(Courtesy of Sessions Supply Co. Facebook)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>If you want to start a Session, you gotta be prepared, right? It\u2019s hard to be the new kid on the recreational cannabis block, especially in the pandemic era, but <a href=\"https:\/\/sessionssupply.com\/products\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sessions Supply Co.<\/a> stuck out to me immediately because of the vibrant and consistent branding.<\/p>\n<p>Their flowers and dabs are potent yet affordably priced, and their reps have been generous with innovative gifts\u2014I\u2019ve received a lot of cannabis-branded water bottles, but my Sessions Hydro Flask is probably my favorite item. <\/p>\n<h3>6. Houseplant<\/h3>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/CREnVfmFbOo\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\"><\/blockquote>\n<p>I know, I know. Seth Rogen is a multimillionaire and there\u2019s no excuse for his weed and subsequent line of goods to NOT be the creme de la creme. But if I\u2019m being honest\u2026it\u2019s all hella cute! <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.houseplant.com\/the-vault\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">From Houseplant\u2019s colorful mod-design jars for the flower to the un-stealable lighters to the gravity bongs and ashtrays<\/a> that could be found at Pottery Barn, there\u2019s a lot to be said for brands that take the time to cultivate products beyond the greenhouse. <\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-dark-green-color has-text-color\">Know any weed brands with outstanding accessories and merch? <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Leafly\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Let us know on Twitter! <\/a><\/p>\n<div id=\"author-box\" class=\"p-lg my-xxl bg-white rounded border border-light-grey elevation-low\">\n<div class=\"mb-lg\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/6-california-weed-brands-that-go-the-extra-mile-with-merch-and-accessories.jpg\" alt=\"Amelia Williams's Bio Image\" class=\"lazyload inline-block mr-md rounded-full border border-light-grey\"> <\/p>\n<p>Amelia Williams<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"text-sm\">Freelance cannabis journalist Amelia Williams is a long-time budtender and graduate of San Francisco State University&#8217;s journalism program. Williams has contributed to the San Francisco Chronicle&#8217;s GreenState, MG Magazine, Culture Magazine, Cannabis Now, and is the author of Barbary Coast dispensary&#8217;s Bud Blog.<\/p>\n<p> <a class=\"text-sm font-bold underline text-green\" href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/author\/amelia-williams\">View Amelia Williams&#8217;s articles<\/a> <\/div>\n<div class=\"leafly-sailthru-signup p-lg my-xl bg-white rounded elevation-low border border-light-grey\">\n<p class=\"text-xs pt-lg\">By submitting this form, you will be subscribed to news and promotional emails from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\">Leafly<\/a> and you agree to Leafly&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/company\/tos\">Terms of Service<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/company\/privacy-policy\">Privacy Policy<\/a>. You can unsubscribe from Leafly email messages anytime.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> <!-- Chartbeat --> <!-- End Chartbeat -->  <!--\nPerformance optimized by W3 Total Cache. Learn more: https:\/\/www.boldgrid.com\/w3-total-cache\/ Served from: _ @ 2021-10-26 10:10:59 by W3 Total Cache\n--><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>6 California weed brands that go the extra mile with merch and accessories &#8211; Leafly Leafly Leafly \u00ae Loading\u2026 Where are you from? noyes Remember me for 30 days. I confirm that this is not a shared device. Darn! You&#8217;re not old enough to use Leafly. Redirecting you to By accessing this site, you accept the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. When I first started budtending in California\u2019s then-medical marijuana industry in 2015, cannabis \u201cbrands\u2019\u201d were few. This was before METRC, before Proposition 64 and the taxation squeeze, and before cannabis entrepreneurs had to rely on a lot more&#8230; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2011,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2010","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-marijuana_information"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/6-california-weed-brands-that-go-the-extra-mile-with-merch-and-accessories.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2010","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2010"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2010\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2011"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2010"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2010"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2010"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}