Quarantine is inducing boredom, stress, and worse in residents in many states throughout the nation. And with no end in sight, I, for one, have been rolling joints like there’s no tomorrow. (No, really. Who do I think I am?)
Fittingly so, I’ve also been trying out lots of new brands of rolling papers. Over the course of my rolling ventures, one brand, in particular, stood out to me.
College Student Turned Entrepreneur
Z’s Life Essentials is an up-and-coming cannabis accessory brand that started with the launch of their rolling paper and filter book. We took a moment to speak with the company creator, and recent college grad, Izaak Cohen.
Cohen graduated from Skidmore College this May with a bachelor’s degree in Studio Art. Now, he is currently transitioning from a student to full-time entrepreneur.
Having seen a family member use cannabis to help with a psychological illness, Cohen combined his love for product design with his entrepreneurial upbringing and launched Z’s Life when he was just 18 years old.
“This upbringing altered my perception of cannabis from an illegal substance to a medicine with the potential to benefit peoples’ lives,” Cohen explained to the Emerald.
But, Cohen was bothered to see his family members using rolling papers that he felt, quite frankly, were tasteless.
“This family member rolls joints for their daily routine. Their experience […] bothered me because I am a visual person and I wanted to see them using a higher quality rolling paper book in their daily life,” Cohen explained.
“[I wanted] to create aesthetically sophisticated smoking accessories that enhance the overall cannabis experience,” he said.
Thus, the inspiration for Z’s Life sparked.
At first, he taught himself basic graphic design skills in order to make the logos, he said.
“I started Z’s […] during my gap year before attending college,” said Cohen. “I began deconstructing OCB’s, then cutting, folding and gluing cardstock to make the signature pattern for the ZBook.”
Since then, he’s been funding the company through cash prize awards from entrepreneurial competitions at Skidmore College.
Packaging
The packaging was the first thing that stuck out to me about these papers. That’s because each ZBook comes in a variety of options so customers can pick their favorite colors and textures.
“Whether it be an understated but bold blue, or a highly reflective holographic surface, our customers decide the vibe they want to embody,” explained Cohen.
I got the chance to try out the three beautiful ZBooks from the “Deception Collection,” in wavy gold, silver surfer, and deluxe holographic. All three were absolutely stunning and I couldn’t help but show them off to everyone I know. There really is just something about iridescent pink packaging.
What caught my eye most, though, is the tiny magnet that keeps the book closed. While you might not think this is necessary, it’s yet another detail Z’s made sure to tap into and show you that it is, indeed, necessary.
Not to mention, ZBooks provides a hefty 50 papers per pack, as opposed to brands like Raw, or Juicy Jay, which max out at 32.
Materials
Z’s papers are offered in 100% hemp and fine flax. Typically, I find hemp papers to be thicker and rougher than your typical rice paper, making rolling a bit easier. I’ve also always loved the aftertaste of hemp-made papers.
Sourced in Europe, the flax fibers are taken from the smooth and straight stem of the plant to create an ultra slow-burning effect. Flax papers will really give you that “barely-there” sensation.
Smokability
To put it simply, these papers burn perfectly.
By the time I finished my 50th joint, I still didn’t have a single complaint. Overall, Z’s burn smoothly, extremely evenly, and most of all, slowly. They are thin, and flavorless, and the inclusion of perforated filters made them super easy to roll.
Price
The papers range from $7-$12 per pack. At first, I felt these papers were a little too expensive. However, after considering the beautiful packaging, attention to detail, and the number of papers (50), the price point quickly felt fair.
While you can certainly find papers for a fraction of the price, I challenge you to find something of the same quality.
Roll Z’s, Plant Trees
In order to create an environmentally friendly and sustainable business model, Z’s Life has partnered with One Tree Planted to offset their carbon footprint by planting trees in California.
“[We] are a socially responsible company that provides our customers the unique opportunity to smoke sustainably,” explained Cohen.
“Whenever a customer purchases a ZBook off of Zs.life, One Tree Planted plants a tree. One ZBook, One Tree,” he continued.
Further, The Royal Maritime Collection is made from FSC certified cardstock, which meets the mark for responsible forestry.
Of all the papers I’ve tried in my lifetime, Z’s simply take the cake. From the attention to detail, to the company’s environmental impact, Emerald rates them 5 stars. Job well done.
Z’s are currently offered in 15 retailers across the United States. Amid the pandemic, however, ZBooks can only be purchased online at Zs.life.
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