These days, vaping is an increasingly popular consumption method. Whether your method of consumption involves packing flower or concentrate into a pen, or buying premade cartridges, there’s something for everyone in the vape world, including the high-end consumer. Made with premium materials and finishes, Vessel batteries allow the user to consume any oil in style with capabilities including optimized airflow technology, extra-long battery life and low-temperature settings. CULTURE chatted with company founder James Choe about high-end vaping and how the industry is getting elevated.
What niche do you think this product fills for vaping enthusiasts?
Vessel is a community-led company that uplifts the cannabis industry with a holistic approach that addresses each aspect of the consumption experience. Instead of offering one element, Vessel provides an entire line of meticulously designed products, including vape pen batteries, charging stands and storage and carry cases—each one developed with the user in mind.
What are some common issues other batteries and chargers have that your products avoid?
The biggest disconnect you see in the market is every brand’s “best” oil paired with a commodity battery, meaning a battery with sub-par components, little-to-no heating control and without a legitimate company to back up performance issues. Vessel’s point of differentiation, and the reason we entered the cannabis space, is our dedication to the broader consumption experience and attention to detail which are two things often lacking in consumer goods. Features like altering how people charge by going from a tiny USB-c beneath the cartridge to simple one-click charging stands, as well as ensuring optimal airflow that’s away from soldered internal components for unadulterated flavor and flow—these are simple changes that completely alter how people feel when they use our product. Add our unique finishes and products backed by our customer service and you have items that stand alone in the space.
Why the emphasis on craftsmanship and design over fast function, and how has that been received?
When Vessel launched, the industry didn’t need another $15 commodity battery, and that type of work is just not what we do. When we engaged our factory partners before launch, they had never met a team that was willing to pay more for a superior product. They were so used to clients coming to them with asks for lower and lower COGs. Could we have faked it? Procured lesser quality batteries and materials and marked them up anyway? Many people have. But we believe consumers are smart and are worthy of an incredible experience not just in how the product functions, but how they feel when they use it or when a friend asks, “Wow! What is that?!” Our unwillingness to compromise on design and materials has created an incredibly loyal fan base and is raising the bar on quality across the industry.
What is your favorite strain to vape with these batteries?
Vessel has a sister company, Cardiff, that offers a variety of plant-based wellness products including inhalables, topicals and soft gels. I really enjoy Cardiff’s hemp extract vape cartridges. They have a near 1:1 ratio of CBD and CBG, other minor cannabinoids like CBN and CBC, and naturally derived cannabis terpenes. Cardiff has a “Sunrise” cartridge that I like for earlier in the day, it helps me relax and focus. Similarly, there is a “Sunset” cartridge that I use in the evening for a sense of calm.
As far as THC carts go, part of my job is trying everything and seeing who’s approaching their vape experience in a new way. With the advancements in genetics in cannabis, you can find a strain for any feeling you’re looking to achieve, and as long as it’s in a 510 thread cart, it’s usually Vessel-compatible.
Do you have anything specific you want to promote or announce?
In partnership with GAIACA, Vessel launched a recycling program with key retail partners in March, making it easy for consumers and retailers to recycle vape batteries. The GAIACA collection service includes the collection of all vape pen batteries from retailers, not just Vessel pen batteries.
This quarter we’ll also be making our foray into a new category with accessories and storage devices for flower consumption. A piece of this collection recently launched—Carbon. It’s our inverted lighter, designed to forever change how people spark up. The refillable, inverted design allows people to use it right side up or upside down without burning themselves.
We are incredibly proud of the collection we’ve designed to date and can’t wait to unveil the rest of Vessel’s take on dry herb products.
vesselbrand.com
