Burning Tree x High Design: Custom Goods
Using white label products to spread the word your way
There’s nothing like a keepsake after a memorable evening: a crumpled receipt, a stray fruit sticker, a wrapper from an after-dinner mint. It’s rare, though, that a souvenir is intentional – and even more rare that it’s something you can actually use. On TikTok, the girlies have been chronicling their elaborate dinner parties with all the fixings: including ways for their guests to remember the night once they get home.
Incidentally, one of my personal favorite things to do after arriving home from an evening full of social interaction is to smoke — and many of these favors are ideally suited for it. Even if you’re not a smoker, though, there are plenty of ways to both use and collect these little beauties to advertise the hottest spot in town: your living room. Bespoke, well-designed accessories (i.e. not useless hunks of free plastic) are a small way to make a significant impact on your brand — personal or otherwise.
But the fun doesn’t have to stop at home. As an events writer, I often find myself in situations where I have to introduce myself. Lately, I’ve been thinking more about how to stand out. Which would you rather receive: a business card or a pack of rolling papers? Exactly.
Burning Tree is my personal favorite boutique design studio, working with retailers, brands, licensed producers (LPs), and individual parties to provide resonant products and packaging. From bespoke product development to a suite of customizable white-label goods, Burning Tree can seamlessly support your product, marketing, and packaging needs.
Matches & Lighters
The most visible choice online for dinner party favors are custom matchbooks for your home, mirroring the ever-popular vintage matchboxes restaurants used to offer when the public smoking rate was much higher (but not in the good way).
While matches are often thought of as aesthetically superior to the classic Bic, their functionality is not quite as reliable for everyday use. Whether or not you’re using your souvenir to spark up, a novelty lighter is a longer-lasting way to offer your guests a light — even when you’re not around.
There’s also the rising market of cannatourism: a space rife with opportunities for branded goodies from luxury rentals for weddings and events to cottage-bound intimate getaways. Wherever you might expect to give your guests a trinket to remember their stay, consider a totally bespoke, highly functional accessory instead.
Rolling Papers
Hear me out: papers aren’t just for rolling weed. Especially in a dinner party setting, smoked herbs can be used to complement your meal, drink, or general palate.
While brands like Barbari offer pre-mixed herbal blends, solo herbal staples like mugwort, lavender, and sage are great for both medicinal and aromatic purposes. Give your guests an herbal blend and some papers to take home so they’ll think of you whenever they Iight up.
Not all rolling papers are created equal, though. While a classic pack of RAWs will elicit memories of stale dorm rooms and crunchy music festivals, a custom pack allows you to communicate whatever you’d like. Whether you’re branding for business or pleasure, think of rolling papers as the new airplane bottle – but a whole lot safer.
Pre-Rolled Cones
For those less inclined to roll their own, pre-rolled cones are a great way to offer the same experience as a joint with less than half of the effort. Simply offer cones in your ideal color scheme and a jar of pre-ground herbs of your choosing to make the rolling bar a whole lot easier.
Plus, pre-rolled cones are a great way to introduce smokable herbs to beginners by removing the learning curve. If you can pour a glass, you can pack a cone.
Grinders
Grinders are one of the most essential, yet most underrated, accessories on the market. For our favorite herb, it’s necessary to avoid sticky fingers and uneven, hard-to-burn bud. In the kitchen, you can shred stubborn herbs or make a hunk of cheese sprinkle-ready. In front of the vanity, crush fresh florals to mix into your favorite skincare.
While many grinders are nothing more than the plastic gas station special, a beautiful, bespoke, and fully effective piece will be a very refreshing sign to whoever’s receiving it that your name, like your grinder, is valuable.
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Whether your audience is 4/20 friendly or not, these private-label goods are more versatile than you might think – and make a lasting impact no matter who you’re gifting it to. If you’re interested in making your own mark, check out Burning Tree’s full line of custom goods.
*This edition of High Design features sponsored content, meaning I have a financial incentive to mention certain products. That being said, I only accept sponsorships I use, love, and stand by 100%.