CBD manufacturing.

Cultivation

Growing organic industrial hemp is the foundation of any high quality CBD product. Once the hemp has reached maturation it will be dried and ready for extraction.

Extraction

There are many ways to extract CBD from a plant, and they vary in safety and efficiency. Each extraction method has its own characteristics and pros and cons. It’s important to know the difference since how the CBD is extracted affects the final product’s purity and efficacy.

The 4 most common extraction methods

Ethanol extraction

Ethanol extraction is a very popular extraction process, as it is safe, simple, and effective. In this method, high-grade grain alcohol (ethanol) is used as a solvent to separate CBD and other cannabinoids from the plant itself. This method is time efficient and is used in most CBD products including gummies, softgels, tinctures, etc.

CO2 extraction

CO2 Extraction is the most expensive way to extract CBD from hemp, but it can produce some of the purest cannabinoid extracts. This extraction method is complex, time consuming and comes with a high cost. It involves a series of high-pressure chambers and expensive high-maintenance equipment. CO2 extractions are mainly used by “boutique” CBD brands and come at a much higher cost.

Liquid solvent extraction

Liquid solvent extraction is a less expensive and easier way to extract CBD oil. It is easy to scale for bulk production for commercial use. It works by running liquid solvents through the hemp biomass to separate the cannabinoids and terpenes. Although the process is easier and quicker, it involves highly flammable liquids and requires more caution than other methods. The final product usually contains some impurities from the plant matter giving it a greenish color and bitter taste than other extracts.

Oil infused extraction

Oil Infusion extract is one of the oldest methods for extracting cannabinoids that many home growers still use. It works by heating up the plant materials to activate the compounds and then adding them to a hot carrier oil and steeping the plant for a few hours. The plant material is filtered out and the result is a CBD rich oil. This method is generally not used by bulk CBD manufacturers because the oil cannot be evaporated out of the CBD oil so it is less desirable.

Refining and isolation

Isolation: The distillation process is used to further refine CBD oil to its isolated state. This is where the different cannabinoid compounds reach their boiling point and are vacuum separated, because each one has a different boiling point, then cooled in a collection container leaving the compound isolated, by itself.

Lab testing

Formulation