Making Vaping Greener
At Innokin, innovation isn’t limited to enhancing vaping technologies. The company also focuses on sustainability and is constantly tweaking its hardware and product packaging. While disposable vapes have rapidly gained popularity and helped countless smokers quit cigarettes, they also present an environmental challenge. The EU is expected to ban single-use vapes by the end of 2026. “We have been taking meaningful steps to reduce the environmental impact of our products for a number of years now, and our core product offerings remain to be within the refillable category,” Xia says. “Within our disposable portfolio, we have developed products like the Innobar F3 and Aquios Bar, which use 95 percent less plastic than other leading devices.”
Both the Innobar F3 and Aquios Bar feature a reinforced card shell design.
“We welcome sensible regulations to reduce the environmental impact of vaping, and we see refillable products, along with pre-filled pod-style products, as an excellent platform for reducing waste,” says Xia. “We are now seeing consumers who made the switch to vaping via disposables demand solutions that have a lower environmental impact and cost. As such, the industry needs to offer affordable, simple permanent devices that deliver the same satisfaction as disposable devices. Our upcoming Klypse Zip pod device is designed to cater to this need, with an affordable price point, convenient refills and award-winning performance, building on the success of our original Klypse pod.”
Introduced in early 2022, the Klypse is a mid-sized, easy-to-use pod system that makes refilling simple for new users. Featuring a refillable pod enables vape beginners to try out different e-liquids or even taper down nicotine strength if they’re seeking to quit nicotine altogether.
In addition to making its devices more environmentally friendly, Innokin has introduced recyclable packaging across all product lines, carried out battery recycling programs and reforestation initiatives and partnered with e-waste specialists in major markets.
Consumer education plays a key role in Innokin’s approach. From mid-April to early May this year, the manufacturer ran its “Vape for the Planet” campaign, teaching customers sustainable vaping practices. Xia says his company has been overwhelmed with the response to the campaign, which educated consumers about proper disposal of vaping products and how they can reduce their impact by switching to a refillable device.
“We also gathered data via a survey to measure consumer sentiment toward sustainability in vaping, and this feedback has provided us with some good ideas about how we can reduce waste while continuing to serve our customers with excellent products,” he says. “We believe the vaping industry must come together as a community in order to solve the question of waste, and working with organizations such as the U.K. Vaping Industry Association will accelerate this process.
“The main takeaways from this campaign are that consumers want more education about how they can vape sustainably and that most people are willing to take extra steps to recycle used products as long as they are provided with the necessary resources to do so. We look forward to discussing our findings with other key players in the industry and identify ways we can deliver a more sustainable future.”