The choice between hand-trimmed and machine-trimmed cannabis often comes down to cost and efficiency. A cultivator may value lower prices in production and increased speed over preserving the details and trichomes of each flower bud. We see benefits and drawbacks in both but for us hand-trimming is the clear winner. We believe our customers deserve the best, highest-quality cannabis flower possible. This is why we take the time to ensure every single Curated Cannabis bud has been handled with the utmost care at every stage of the plant’s life cycle and post-harvest process. I’ll go through the pros and cons of each method of trimming and further explain why we feel top shelf cannabis is always hand-trimmed.
HAND-TRIMMED
Cannabis flower buds that have been carefully manicured by skilled hands to remove excess leaves and stems are considered hand-trimmed. Typically, after cannabis plants are harvested, they go through a process of drying and curing. Once dried, the buds are usually bucked and trimmed to enhance their appearance, potency, and overall quality. We do things a little different…We trim all our buds wet at the moment of harvest. We do this before flash freezing the flower buds to lock in the aesthetic appearance we’re hunting for. Flower is easier to trim while wet and allows us to style each bud beautifully at the peak of perfection. This process is far different than what other people typically do, but it perfectly preserves the flower.
Hand-trimming involves using specialized scissors to meticulously remove any unwanted plant material, such as fan leaves, stems, and excessive sugar leaves. This process is typically done by skilled cultivators and processors who have a sharp eye for detail and precision. Hand-trimming allows for a more precise and tailored approach compared to machine-trimming, which is often faster but is less precise and removes valuable parts of the plant such as trichomes. Our trim crew is highly trained to style each bud by hand leaving unique mini masterpieces for the consumer to enjoy.
Hand-trimmed cannabis is largely preferred by cannabis consumers due to the care taken during the trimming process. It results in a visually appealing product with a detailed and manicured appearance. Even if the consumer doesn’t know that much about cannabis, they can generally tell that there’s a difference between the two. In the business of selling flowers, appearance is everything. Hand trimming can also help preserve the trichomes on the flower, which contain the cannabinoids and terpenes responsible for the plant’s aroma, flavor, and effects. Each calyx should be intact, and the flower structure should be whole and not broken down. You can notice all the details in our Live Cured Flower because it’s been carefully preserved from the moment of harvest all the way to the jar. It’s called a flower for a reason, and it should look like one.
While hand-trimming has many benefits, the biggest disadvantage to hand-trimming cannabis flower is the amount of time and patient attention to detail it requires to hand-trim at an advanced level necessary for sustaining a brand. Having a large amount of cannabis flower to process and trim by hand can be time-consuming, expensive, and tedious. This makes it hard to scale for most companies.
Even though hand-trimmed cannabis is considered a mark of top shelf flower, the overall quality and effects of cannabis depend on various factors, including the cultivar, cultivation practices, and post-harvest processes. The trimming method is just one aspect of the overall production and contributes to the experience of consuming cannabis. All top shelf flower should be hand trimmed, but not all hand trimmed flower is top shelf.
Below are some comparison shots of hand-trimmed flower vs machine-trimmed flower.
MACHINE-TRIMMED
Cannabis flower buds that have undergone an automated trimming process using specialized machinery are called machine-trimmed. After the cannabis plants are harvested and dried, instead of being hand-trimmed by cultivators or processors, they are often mechanically bucked and then placed into trimming machines that use spinning blades or other mechanisms to remove excess plant material. The trimmed buds are then collected, and any remaining residue or small pieces of plant material may be removed through additional processing steps.
Cannabis trimming machines come in a variety of sizes, cutting speeds, price ranges, and levels of quality. The newest cannabis trimming machines can trim several pounds of flower each hour, totally eliminating the need to hire any people to trim the cannabis flower by hand. One of the major advantages of machine-trimmed cannabis flower is the speed at which the buds can be trimmed. Some of the most top-line commercial trimming machines can process up to 60-200 pounds of flower per hour, as opposed to a person trimming about two pounds of flower by hand per (eight-hour) day – which is only about 0.25 pounds per hour. For many cannabis brands, this is a significant difference that ultimately makes their decision between offering hand-trimmed vs machine-trimmed cannabis flower an easy one. While the loss of trichome coverage or having mangled and unusable product does take place with today’s cannabis trimming machines, some fine cannabis flower has been produced throughout the past decade with the use of machines.
While machine-trimming offers increased speed and efficiency, there are some potential drawbacks to consider. The machines are not as precise as human trimmers, and remove more of the valuable trichomes along with the excess plant material. This can result in a loss of potency and affect the overall quality of the final product. Additionally, machine-trimming does not achieve the same level of aesthetic appeal as hand-trimmed cannabis, as it doesn’t provide the same level of attention to detail. Only a human can truly preserve the gorgeous bud structure and fragile calyxes of each cultivar.
The preference for hand-trimmed or machine-trimmed cannabis varies among consumers. Some people prioritize the appearance and attention to detail of hand-trimmed cannabis, while others prioritize the cost-effectiveness of machine trimmed flower. Ultimately, the choice between hand-trimmed and machine-trimmed cannabis depends on personal preferences and the intended use of the product. We think hand-trimmed flower is best because it preserves the appearance of the live plant. Our philosophy is “do-less” and let the flower speak for itself. We wouldn’t want to erase any of the unique details that each cannabis flower bud expresses. And when you think about it, hand-trimming creates jobs. You don’t want to live in an Isaac Asimov world where the machines take over do you?
Stay stoned and stay safe!
