Updated: 9/24/24

We know the pain of having you cannabis expire without so much as a sign. That's why proper storage for your wax, dab, shatter, and any other form of concentrate you have matters.

While you may be stuck between glass and plastic, there are a few important factors to consider that we'll address in this article, and we'll help you identify if your cannabis has lost some of its properties due to incorrect storage.

Why Storing Cannabis Correctly Matters

Potency and flavor are the two main reasons you want to take the time to store cannabis correctly, as these two properties are the first to go when you use low-quality containers. Light exposure, temperature, and other environmental elements can quickly degrade the cannabis, so it's important to make sure it is stored properly in the right location.

Safety is another issue, such as keeping it out of reach of children and pets, but where you keep it and how you keep it are other factors aside from using a high-quality container.

What to Watch Out for If Your Cannabis Concentrates Aren't Stored Properly

Knowing that your concentrate can lose some of its effects and potentially go rancid, giving you a headache as its quality decreases, here are some things to watch out for:

Lost THC

When exposed to heat or sunlight, your cannabis concentrate can lose its THC content as the cannabinoids begin to break down. As such, you'll notice a decrease in potency when consumed, and this decrease increases the longer you store it incorrectly, even if you've grown better cannabis. The process isn't quick to occur but becomes noticeable within a few weeks.

Conversion to CBN

Oxygen and heat won't only cause cannabinoids to break down but to transform as well. This form is called CBN, and while it's psychoactive, it's more often than not too mild to get you high.

Weaker Flavor

As both of the above occur, you'll also notice a sharp decrease in the flavor of your puffs. With the harsher smoke becoming more unpleasant, the longer you've stored your cannabis incorrectly, the lack of flavor becomes evermore noticeable.

The Different Types of Cannabis Concentrate Products

There are many forms of cannabis concentrate, and these all matter when considering how to store your prized collection before consumption and whether glass or mylar is best. Wax is a potent and popular method of consumption thanks to its texture and range of flavor profiles.

Shatter has a hard and glass-like appearance that's considered potent and pure. Live resin uses fresh, flash-frozen cannabis to preserve its flavor profiles. Dabs offer a variety of textures to enjoy.

However, regardless of the form of your concentrate, if stored incorrectly, it can lose all the qualities you enjoy, from potency to texture and flavor.

How to Store Concentrates in General

Knowing the best way to store wax or dab is important, but a general storage solution can still go a long way toward preserving your weed's potency and quality.

At Tree Hugger Containers, we offer a wide range of sustainable products that keep oxygen and sunlight out, preserving whatever form of marijuana you have, from concentrates to leaves and more.

How to Store Shatter

The best way to store shatter requires considering how long you'll store it.

For short-term storage, typically under a week, you need only store the product inside folded parchment paper, with the edges tucked tightly together. A tight fold is essential to protect the concentrate from outside elements. However, consider a PCR bag for added protection of your weed.

If you plan to store your shatter for a long time, we recommend an excellent container in a cool, dark, and dry place. Alternatively, shatter can be kept frozen, wrapped in parchment, and stored in a glass jar that's vacuum sealed. This process protects it from humidity that would otherwise occur while freezing.

How to Store Live Resin

Regardless of the form of live resin or the quality of your product, it's important to store it in a cool, dark, and dry location. Avoiding direct sunlight is a must if you want to preserve the texture and consistency of your live resin for retail or consumption purposes.

We recommend one of our glass jars for storing your live resin. It offers an airtight and dry environment while allowing you to monitor its texture and appearance. Store the containers in a cool, dark area to prevent damage from sunlight or heat.

How to Store Wax

The best way to store wax involves the same principles as the others, requiring you to keep it in a dry location that's out of direct sunlight and has a cool temperature. However, when it comes to the container, there's a bit of leeway here.

In general, glass is a great option, but you can also use one of our ocean tubes for shorter-term storage.

What matters most is keeping the wax away from humidity. For long-term storage of any cannabis type, glass becomes the ideal choice as you can watch out for condensation droplets and other visible factors that your concentrate is degrading.

How to Store Dab

Storing dabs requires an excellent dark storage location with little to no exposure to direct sunlight. The environment should be stable, with slight variations in temperature or humidity. Typically, a glass container or silicone option is best suited to holding dabs before consumption.

Use parchment paper to add a layer of protection against the elements and light when storing your dabs.

Can You Freeze Dabs?

While you can freeze dabs, this isn't recommended. The best option for long-term storage is to use a refrigerator and a glass jar, as the cool, dark environment is perfect for maintaining your concentrated flavor and texture.

However, the fridge cannot be on a high setting, as too cold a temperature damages most weed products.

How to Store Crumble

Storing crumble in almost any container is best if the environment is cool, dark, and dry. Direct sunlight should be avoided, but if not, shielding the crumble with a PCR Mylar bag is a great alternative, as it's airtight and controls the environment in which you store your weed.

Using a fridge for crumble storage is an option for long-term shelf life. However, be careful, as too cool a temperature can affect texture and taste.

What to Consider When Storing Your Cannabis Concentrate

Storing your weed in its many forms requires some thought and planning, as there are three main factors to consider. Packaging and storage can even affect sales.

Temperature

Cannabis degrades when exposed to high temperatures, losing cannabinoids and overall quality. Too hot or too cold can dry the plant out.

For best results, you should keep the concentrate in a container at 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperature can also dry out the terpenes and cannabinoids, both of which affect the quality of your high.

Humidity

Mold, the enemy of all consumable products, can also occur with cannabis concentrates. Mold appears mainly due to storing your weed in a high-humidity environment and a container that can keep the humid air out.

Humidity will also affect the texture, often turning your concentrate brittle and less pleasant to take. You may also notice a loss in color and aroma when storing your product in a high-humidity environment.

Exposure to Light and Other Contaminants

Air and light have adverse effects on cannabis products, especially as both elements affect temperature and humidity. UV from direct sunlight can degrade marijuana over time, making it essential that you keep your product out of direct sunlight.

Can THC Wax Go Bad?

Wax and all THC concentrates can go bad, as can almost any consumable product. Once the wax, dab, resin, and other concentrates pass their shelf life or are stored poorly, their quality will begin to drop.

While you can extend the shelf life, it only temporarily increases how long you can keep it before the quality degradation becomes noticeable during consumption.

Good-quality concentrates with fewer impurities will keep the longest when stored in a quality container with little exposure to sunlight, heat, and oxygen.

Enjoy Your Weed for Longer

Taking the time to store your cannabis in a proper container, be it glass or our PCR Mylar, has many benefits. You get to enjoy it for longer without it degrading or losing THC as quickly as other container options.

Proper storage and management of the conditions will give you a longer shelf life, keeping it fresh and ready for your subsequent use.

Browse our site today and find the right packaging for your cannabis products!

1. Bowman, Olivia. (2022) Business Insider [blog] How to store weed to keep it fresh and potent, according to experts https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/home/how-to-store-weed
2. Clear Choice Cannabis. (2023) Clear Choice Cannabis [blog] Can THC Concentrates Expire? What You Need to Know https://findclearchoice.com/can-thc-concentrates-expire
3. CannaCon. (2022) CannaCon [Article] How to Store Cannabis Concentrates https://cannacon.org/how-to-store-concentrates/