The pre-roll starts before the machine

A useful pre-roll brief describes a finished product that a team can inspect, reproduce and package. “A one-gram joint” is only the beginning. The paper, tip, shape, available fill space and finished length all belong in the same conversation.

Define the format

Cone and tube selection involves paper type, dimensions, filter construction and branding. Those choices affect both the product’s appearance and how it fits into a production workflow. Custom Cones USA’s production guide treats these as separate decisions, rather than assuming all papers and tips behave alike.

For an Apollo project, start with an exact supplier item and samples from the intended supply. Record total length, tip length, opening diameter, base diameter, paper and target fill weight. A size name alone is not a complete specification. The straight-looking Futurola format still has a slight taper; its silhouette should not be interpreted as a perfectly cylindrical tube.

Agree on what acceptable looks like

Our recommended product brief includes photographs of an approved empty format, filled body and finished closure. Define what the operator should flag: visible damage, an inconsistent closure, a bent body or a finished length that does not fit its package. Keep aesthetic preferences separate from measured acceptance criteria.

Use a sample review to compare the actual proposed materials. A computer animation explains movement and hidden geometry; it cannot establish the finished product’s draw, burn or storage performance. Ask for those attributes to be evaluated separately on representative product.

Include the package early

Protecting the pre-roll during handling and preserving it in storage are packaging jobs, alongside shelf presentation. Custom Cones USA’s packaging guide specifically discusses protection from bending and breakage as well as sealing and freshness.

Before finalizing tooling, place actual finished samples in the proposed container. Review clearance around the closure, movement within the package and removal by the customer. The useful output is one agreed product specification covering the cone, machine and package together.

Straight style, slight taper. Futurola’s 84/26 Straight Slender has an approximate 0.5 g nominal capacity, 9 mm opening and 7.8 mm base. Futurola specifications ↗. Compare its dimensions and movement in the format guide.