Tag: Smoore

  • Feelm Unveils Ceramic Coil Disposable Pod

    Feelm Unveils Ceramic Coil Disposable Pod

    Photo” Smoore

    Smoore showcased the Feelm Max, a pioneering ceramic coil disposable pod solution, at Vaper Expo UK 2022

    Most existing disposable vapes are equipped with cotton coil, which produces relatively large aerosol particles, leading to inefficient deposition of inhaled particles in the lungs, hence low nicotine delivery and satisfaction, as well as harshness in throat. Soft cotton coils are also associated with leakage and burnt taste, according to Smoore.

    Equipped with a cotton-free, microporous ceramic coil, the Feelm Max delivers more reliable and efficient atomization, Smoore explained in a press note. At the same liquid volume, it offers 25 percent more puffs than traditional cotton coil disposable vapes. Because the ceramic coil generates smaller vaporized particles, the product leaves less residue in the throat, ensuring a smoother vaping experience. The ceramic coil also guarantees constant vapor production, delivering flavor consistence of more than 95 percent.

    According to Smoore, the Feelm Max has a leakage rate of less than 0.03 percent. It also generates smaller vaporized particles, ensuring efficient lung delivery, along with greater and faster satisfaction.

    At Vaper Expo UK 2022, Feelm also showcased its eco-friendly non-nicotine disposable e-cigarette and anti-dust mouthpiece hygienic e-cigarette. Both were recently awarded Red Dot Awards for their green product concepts and avant-garde design. Unlike traditional disposable e-cigarettes made of plastic, the external structure of the eco-friendly non-nicotine disposable e-cigarette is composed of recyclable and reusable paper and aluminum foil while anti-dust mouthpiece hygienic e-cigarette features a twist nozzle, similar to that used on lipsticks, to prevent the contact of mouthpiece with unclean substances.

    The market for disposable vaping products reached approximately $2.13 billion in 2021, accounting for 22.7 percent of all vaping device sales, according to Frost & Suvillian. The consulting firms expects the segment to expand at a compound annual growth rate of more than 28 percent between 2022 and 2026, making it the fastest-growing category among all vaping products.

  • Feelm Commits to Net-Zero Emissions

    Feelm Commits to Net-Zero Emissions

    Photo: Parradee | Adobe Stock

    Feelm, a division of China-based vaping hardware manufacturer Smoore International, released its “Race to Zero” roadmap to carbon neutrality. Feelm stated that its plan brings forward the company’s ambitions to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 in its direct production activities and indirect purchased energy, according to a company press release. The company has also made a commitment to use renewable energies in at least 30 percent of its total energy consumption by 2030.

    “As one of China’s first atomization tech brands to make a carbon neutrality commitment, Feelm pledges to reach net zero in full supply chain and full product lifespan by developing sustainable products, improving energy efficiency with automated production, supporting the supply chain in decarbonization, and increasing renewable energies and eco-friendly materials,” the press release states. “Feelm, being the world’s largest closed vape system solution provider, plays a significant role in the global vaping supply chain.

    “On the one hand, it provides millions of global consumers with premium product experience by virtue of partnership with vaping brands around the world; on the other hand, Feelm has been leading a sustainable revolution in the supply chain.”

    Beginning in 2019, Feelm pioneered a number of green vaping solutions. The company won the iF Design Award 2020 for its disposable paper e-cigarette, which is made up of spiral composite paper tubing that improves “the degradability rate to approximately 76 percent of the total volume” compared to the plastic used in traditional vaping products.

    Feelm is also set to unveil another eco-friendly non-nicotine disposable e-cigarette at Vaper Expo U.K. 2022 in late May. The new device was awarded the Red Dot Award for Product Design 2022. Its external structure is composed of recyclable and reusable aluminum foil. It looks similar to a paper foil pouch that also serves as a packaging bag, which reduces the amount of packaging materials.

    “In addition to developing sustainable products, Feelm has also partnered with suppliers to develop and encourage utilizing biodegradable materials while optimizing the water, electricity and gas consumption management,” the release states. “Feelm is also working with global customers to promote the recycling and reusing so as to explore a feasible path toward carbon neutrality for the product lifespan and the supply chain.”

  • FEELM Joins Vaping Awareness Campaign

    FEELM Joins Vaping Awareness Campaign

    Photo: Smoore

    SMOORE’s flagship atomization tech brand FEELM has signed up to the VApril 2022 consumer awareness campaign to offer specialist smoking-cessation advice to U.K. smokers and encourage them to switch to less harmful alternatives.

    Established by the U.K. Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA), VApril is the largest campaign worldwide to promote smoking cessation through switchover to vaping.

    “Research has shown that vaping increases the likelihood of a successful cigarette quit attempt by 50 percent and is now the U.K.’s most popular way to quit” said John Dunne, director-general of UKVIA.

    “However, suspect science and misinformation on vaping are discouraging many smokers from switching to a less harmful alternative. We need to take an evidence-based approach to educate the public about vaping which is what Vapril was designed to do. It is great to see UKVIA member FEELM supporting these events this month.”

    During VApril vaping awareness month, FEELM will present the most up-to-date evidence-based vaping facts on social media targeting adult smokers, to help them make the most informed choices.

    In April, FEELM teamed up with specialist vape retailer Vapourcore, to give away Core Pro disposable vapes to adult vapers and smokers seeking to switch in London and Manchester. Vapourcore and FEELM jointly introduced this ultra-slim disposable product with ceramic coil in early 2022.

    Built to be lightweight and compact, Core Pro is designed specifically for adult smokers looking to switch. It includes a bowl-shaped FEELM ceramic coil with a microporous surface, which increases the surface area in contact with the e-liquid, hence uniform temperatures around the whole coil, lowering the risk of burnt tastes. Moreover, the FEELM ceramic coil features a unique anti-condensation and maze-shaped structure that prevents leakage and spit-back. In 2021, Pro Core won 2021 MUSE Design Award for its technology and design.

    “Our aim was to produce a high quality and elegant vaping product for adult smokers and the Core Pro is just this” said Vapourcore CEO Charles Bloom. “Utilizing the FEELM ceramic coil gives the Core Pro a uniquely smooth, flavorsome and very efficient nicotine delivery far superior to other disposables.”

  • Smoore Launches TPD Compliance Lab

    Smoore Launches TPD Compliance Lab

    Photo: Smoore

    Smoore has established a vaping products risk assessment laboratory for European Union Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) compliance. The lab is part of the Smoore fundamental research center.

    Operational since the first half of 2021, the laboratory has already completed 52 product tests for leading vape brands. As China’s first corporate TPD-compliant risk assessment laboratory, it can generate test reports within five working days. Its laboratory equipment is benchmarked against those in world-class analytical testing laboratories, such as Labstat and Enthalpy, according to Smoore.

    As the industry’s harm reduction and quality benchmark, the company complies with its in-house Smoore 3.0 safety standards. Based on the risk assessment guidance of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Food and Drug Administration, Smoore 3.0 covers all of the premarket tobacco product application (PMTA) vapor safety tests and FDA-listed harmful and potentially harmful constituents. In addition to vapor safety, Smoore 3.0 also involves extractable and leachable substances of medical-grade atomization materials.

    Smoore’s fundamental research center has developed a comprehensive analytical testing and risk assessment system, covering PMTA nonclinical testing and health risk assessment. Accredited by the China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment (CNAS) in 2019, the system is now capable of up to 149 CNAS tests involving the chemical analysis of e-liquids and aerosols, electrical safety, material safety and battery safety.

    Smoore entered the EU market in 2018 with its FEELM atomization brand.

  • Smoore and Relx Among Top Patent Applicants

    Smoore and Relx Among Top Patent Applicants

    Photo: Smoore

    Smoore and RELX were among the vaping business’ most prolific patent applicants in 2021, according to the Chinese Enterprise PCT International Patent Application Ranking. Smoore topped the list with 84 international patent applications under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), the company announced in a press release. RELX filed 74 international patent applications during the year.

    Based on the number of PCT international patent applications in 2021, the ranking is published by IPRdaily, an intellectual property publication, and incoPat, a global patent database.

    By Dec. 31, 2021, Smoore had more than 3,408 patent applications cumulatively, including 1,674 authorized patent applications. The company’s patent applications relate to atomization and other technologies. In January, the company launched the world’s thinnest ceramic coil vape pod solution. Equipped with a new generation of the Ultra-slim Bionic Film Ceramic Coil, FEELM Air features seven breakthroughs, including in reliability, flavor and interactive experience, according to Smoore.

    To date, the company has hired 1,500 R&D experts from different scientific backgrounds and established 10 centers for cross-disciplinary research. Five additional centers are under construction.

    The company says it’s committed to protecting its intellectual property. In October 2021, Smoore filed a complaint to the United States International Trade Commission against 38 American and Canadian enterprises and individuals for copying certain features of its oil-vaping cartridges and components technologies.

  • Superior Solution

    Superior Solution

    FEELM CEO Frank Han

    Using a new ultra-slim bionic film ceramic coil, the FEELM Air represent a considerable improvement over previous closed-system devices.

    By Timothy S. Donahue

    The vaping industry won’t reach its full potential until its products can deliver nicotine to the body as effectively as a combustible cigarette. The new FEELM Air fully integrated vaping solution brings the industry one step closer to that goal. The FEELM Air offers several improvements on previous closed system vaping devices, including the next generation of FEELM’s industry-leading ceramic coils.

    FEELM Air brings together three new innovations for its ultra-slim bionic film (USBF) ceramic coil, calling the new coil the world’s thinnest ceramic coil vape pod solution. During a launch event in London on Jan. 18, representatives of FEELM and the flagship atomization technology brand’s parent, Smoore International, detailed several of FEELM Air’s technological breakthroughs in the vaping experience, including ultimate design, reliability, flavor and an exceptional interactive experience.

    There are three major improvements to FEELM’s latest coil technology that are the cumulative achievements of a team of 500 scientists and nearly seven years of research, according to FEELM. “FEELM Air is the outcome of cross-disciplinary research and a revolution to [the] ceramic coil,” said Frank Han, president of FEELM, at the opening remark of the launch event. “It replaces the single-layer film with a seven-layer bionic ultra-slim film. The thickness of the film is reduced from 80 micrometers to 2 micrometers, which is 40 times thinner than the last generation.”

    The overall improvements of FEELM Air are attributed to a new generation of USBF ceramic coils, which incorporate a seven-layer composite heating film made of bionic material for the first time in the vaping industry. FEELM representatives said that each layer leads to an equally enhanced functionality.

    The second innovation in the USBF coil is its use of a nanoscale vacuumed film-forming technique to help the heating film distribute heat more evenly across the coil for accurate temperature distribution. The final innovation is a microporous bionic structure that provides smooth ventilation as well as a strong e-liquid locking layer to prevent any leakage.

    Additional improvements to FEELM’s USBF coil allow the overall FEELM Air to bring major breakthroughs to the vaping experience, including an integrated micro-electromechanical system (MEMS), the industry’s highest level of energy efficiency and its smallest linear motor, according to FEELM.

    “It has the world’s first seven-layer composite heating film made of bionic material. Most of the existing ceramic coils are single layered, and now we have a seven-layered composite heating film,” a FEELM representative explained. “It can improve the harm reduction and improve the energy efficiencies, and each layer will lead to a corresponding functionality improvement.”

    FEELM Air improves the overall harm reduction performance by 80 percent of previous generation ceramic coils. The numerous major breakthroughs the new device provides include:

    • The hybrid composites heating layer and the nanoscale protection layer provide corrosion resistance, thereby reducing the emission of heavy metals by 78.6 percent. The temperature control layer with its thermal conductivity can reduce the emission of aldehydes and ketones by 80.7 percent due to localized overheating.
    • In terms of energy optimization, FEELM Air boasts the world’s highest energy efficiency of 1.3 mg/W by virtue of three layers of composite materials. The nano silver electro layer can reduce invalid energy consumption while the porous thermal resistance layer can effectively reduce heat loss.
    • The patented microporous flavor lock layer improves average flavor release by 33 percent. It’s terraced temperature zone and multilayered atomization allow for a tailored flavor release in different temperature zones and produces aerosols in smaller particle size for consumers to taste the flavor thoroughly and allow for a lower lung absorption than previous generation coils.
    • FEELM Air also uses a second generation of the company’s “puzzle leak-proof” technology that decreases leakage rates by 237 percent. It introduces an upgraded capillary structure and an innovative choke valve to prevent condensation alongside a superabsorbent lock layer that can effectively prevent e-liquid splashing.
    • The innovative FEELM Air also uses the world’s smallest linear motor, which offers a unique shock-wave mode that allows users to include delicate vibrations that allow consumers to feel the resonance in every puff. The power consumption of vibrations per charge is as low as 0.06 percent (equal to two puffs).
    • The FEELM Air also has the industry’s first superpower management system, TOPOWER, which allows for eight hours of vaping with only a 10 minute charge. The energy density is increased by 20 percent, and the battery life is increased by 30 percent over previous generations, according to FEELM. The device also adopts an integrated MEMS, which functions as a reliable airflow switch, to improve the sensitivity of the device while preventing mis-activation.

    “Ever since the launch of the world’s first black ceramic atomization coil with metallic film in 2016, FEELM has changed the whole competitive landscape, ushering in a new era of ceramic coil. It has largely enhanced harm reduction with accurate heating temperature control and revolutionized vaping experience with smooth and pure taste till the last puff,” said Han. “More importantly, FEELM has effectively addressed the industry’s pain points of leakage and dry hits.”

    To keep up with the enhanced vaping experience the FEELM Air provides vapers, the company announced the launch of its second generation of the FEELM taste evaluation model during the FEELM Air launch event. To better understand taste experiences while vaping, FEELM introduced its first taste evaluation model in December 2020 that gave FEELM researchers the ability to describe the taste of atomization scientifically. Composed of four dimensions—flavor, strength, note and vapor—and 51 specific indexes, the model establishes a system to evaluate the human senses of mouth, tongue, nose and throat.

    “Now, it’s five dimensions and 65 indexes. It’s more complicated in evaluating aroma, aftertaste, taste/mouthfeel, impact and vapor property. We built up an in-house sensory evaluation team. We have experts with certain backgrounds in tobacco science and vaping taste evaluations,” a FEELM representative said. “The team’s experience in the science of evaluating flavors ranges from five years to 13 years. They are the experts in evaluating vape ingredients.”

    During the event, Han also announced a brand refresh for FEELM. The new brand concept is composed of five words: feel, engine, exploration, lifestyle and memory, echoing the five letters of the brand’s name. He has also unveiled the new logo, which has the contour of a ceramic coil in the shape of a window. It symbolizes “FEELM’s ‘window to ultimate sensation,’” said Han. “The ‘open window’ stands for the infinite pursuit of a better sensory experience, representing FEELM’s commitment to ultimate sensation.”

    The FEELM Air may be the bridging device that brings vaping magnitudes closer to the nicotine delivery and sensory experience combustible cigarette smoking offers, only in a format that Public Health England has said is 95 percent safer. It’s too early to tell, but the FEELM Air may motivate an even greater number of cigarette smokers to switch to vaping than previous devices.

    “Vaping devices loaded with FEELM atomizers have been exported to over 50 countries in Europe, America, East Asia, Africa and Oceania with an accumulated sales volume of over 3 billion pieces,” Han said. “FEELM has never stopped the constant exploration for ultimate sensation. By virtue of FEELM Air, equipped with the ultra-slim bionic film ceramic coil, FEELM is ready to drive another paradigm shift in the global vaping industry, leading the second sensory revolution of ultra-slim devices and ceramic coils.”

    Timothy Donahue is the assistant editor of Tobacco Reporter. Since joining our team in January 2013, he has become not only an expert on the traditional tobacco business but also a well-respected voice in the rapidly developing vapor industry. Tim spends much of his time on the road, attending conferences and interviewing industry representatives. His networking skills, work ethic and quick mind are valuable assets to our diverse audience.
  • E-Cig Leaders Welcome China Tobacco Rules

    E-Cig Leaders Welcome China Tobacco Rules

    Photo: Timothy S. Donahue

    China’s recently announced regulatory framework for e-cigarettes should secure the vapor industry’s future in that country, according to leading players in the business.

    On Nov. 26, China’s state council amended the tobacco monopoly law to include vapor products, meaning that, going forward, e-cigarettes will be managed like combustible cigarettes.

    With more than 300 million smokers—27 percent of adults—China is the world’s largest tobacco market. It also produces about 90 percent of the world’s e-cigarettes, primarily in the technology manufacturing hub Shenzhen.

    The government and the tobacco industry are, essentially, one entity in China, with the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration regulating the industry and China National Tobacco manufacturing tobacco products.

    To date, the vapor industry in China has operated in a legal grey area. Regulation had been widely anticipated, but many feared that it would wipe out the sector. The Nov. 26 announcement, however, was welcomed by leading players in the business. Industry representatives say it removes uncertainty and will weed out bad actors.

    In background article on the recent news from China, Filter cited Smoore global PR manager Frankie Chen, who expects national mandatory standards to significantly improve product safety and provide global vapers with better products.

    “Since the standards set higher requirements for vaping manufacturing, it is expected that only the responsible manufacturer with comprehensive safety management can be compliant,” Chen was quoted as saying.

    RLX Technology, too, welcomed the new regulatory framework. “We believe the sector will enter a new era of development—an era marked by enhanced product safety and quality, augmented social responsibilities, and improved intellectual property protection,” said RLX Technology chairperson and CEO Ying Wang at the presentation of the company’s third quarter results.

    RLX Technology Chief Financial Officer Chao Lu said the company is well prepared for the new operating environment. “The investments we made in products, talents, research, and compliance in the third quarter and beyond will place us in advantageous positions under the new regulatory paradigm,” he said.

  • Feelm Recognized for Design

    Feelm Recognized for Design

    Illustration: Smoore

    Smoore’s flagship brand, Feelm, has received a gold award in the product design category of 2021 Muse Design Awards for its ultra-slim disposable vape with ceramic coil, TA15. Feelm is the only brand winning a 2021 Muse Design Award in the atomization field. The Muse Design Awards are an international competition for designers whose craftsmanship leads to paradigm shifts.

    As the world’s first disposable ultra-slim pod product equipped with a ceramic coil, TA15 marks the opening of a new ceramic era of disposable vapes, according to Smoore. The Feelm atomization coil inside TA15 guarantees low power consumption, a stronger vapor and a stable vaping experience. Despite its ultra-slim body, TA15 offers over 300 puffs.

    Moreover, TA15 adopts an anti-condensation structure to control the dynamic condition of e-liquid, minimizing leakage and offering a premium user experience.

    The slightly arced surface wraps the inner structure compactly, forming a 7.5 mm thin body. The vertically textured surface makes it comfortable to hold and resists fingerprints. The raised part of TA15 prevents the mouthpiece from contact with desks and other surfaces for hygiene. It also features a concealed air inlet.

    Meanwhile, the highlighted “pixel block” is actually a metal sticker, which changes color with flavors and supports customization.

    By virtue of unique design and innovation technology, this product has effectively solved the industry’s pain point of leakage without a silicone plug, according to Smoore. Thanks to a breakthrough in materials and structural science, there’s no burnt taste, offering more delicate vapor and purer taste.

    “I always put users first and attempt to deeply understand and explore their potential needs,” said Qing Ling, ID Designer of TA15, in a statement. “Driven by design thinking, we combine practicability and minimalism, highlighting the performance of our ceramic coil while making other parts as thin as possible.”

    The Muse Design Awards are a part of the Muse Awards Program, which was created by the International Awards Associate (IAA) in 2015. IAA aims to honor, promote and encourage creativity by providing a new standard of excellence for evaluating media design production and distribution.

  • Media Report Triggers Sell-off of Vapor Stocks

    Media Report Triggers Sell-off of Vapor Stocks

    Photo: Cozyta

    E-cigarette stocks fell on Aug. 5 after Chinese state media ran reports about the risks of vaping, reports Reuters.

    Huabao International Holdings tumbled 8 percent in Hong Kong morning trade while China Boton Group Co. fell 4 percent. Market leader Relx Technology closed almost 5 percent lower in New York after the Xinhua news agency published a report saying that minors were gaining easy access to e-cigarettes.

    Xinhua said its reporters made unannounced visits to e-cigarette shops in the northern cities of Tianjin and Shenyang and found that while all had signs stating sales to minors were prohibited, enforcement of the law varied in practice.

    The sell-off demonstrated how investors remain on edge and on the hunt for clues about which companies might be vulnerable to state intervention after the property, education and technology sectors were hit by Beijing regulators in recent months with unprecedented sweeping rules.

    Similar market sentiment took hold of liquor-related stocks after the Ministry of Science and Technology posted an article citing a study that linked alcohol consumption to cancer.

    Investors in Chinese companies often scrutinize state media reports for hints about regulators’ thinking.

    China is the world’s largest consumer of tobacco products, with more than 300 million smokers, according to the World Health Organization.

  • When Science Meets Art

    When Science Meets Art

    Vapers say taste matters. According to a survey conducted by Frost & Sullivan, among 3,000 Chinese vapor consumers, taste was a key factor in choosing an e-cigarette. The top three indexes in flavor were the overall sensation of taste (66 percent), aroma (61 percent) and the amount of vapor (50 percent).

    In late-December, FEELM, a heating technology brand, introduced the industry’s first taste evaluation model. The model allows FEELM researchers the ability to describe the taste of atomization scientifically. Composed of four dimensions, flavor, strength, note and vapor, and 51 specific indexes, the model establishes a system to evaluate the human senses of mouth, tongue, nose and throat.

    Frank Han, CEO of FEELM, said the company’s devotion to continuously improving the taste of e-cigarettes originated from a client’s concern. “How’s the taste of California strawberries at 6 am? What’s the difference between it and that of refrigerated ones?” he said the client asked. “Could FEELM ceramic coils bring back the taste of California strawberry at 6am with flavored e-liquid?”

    Inspired by the client, FEELM team members conducted numerous studies with the goal of developing a scientific system to properly evaluate and provide the perfect flavor. “As you can imagine, analyzing and delivering such an abstract concept as taste will [take] anyone tons of effort,” Han said.

    To help with challenging endeavor, FEELM’s parent company, Smoore Technology, set up several research institutes around the world (Smoore does not produce any e-liquid). Smoore technical experts began building a world-leading atomization platform. Now, more than 75 percent of those researchers are focused on understanding and improving taste through atomization. Smoore also established relationships with research institutions such as Tongji University, Tsinghua University and Princeton University.

    “This institute will focus on the background study and harm reduction from new perspectives such as bio-medicine and artificial intelligence,” Smoore said in press release. “To further study the science behind atomization, FEELM has also established a professional taste evaluation team, and built a taste evaluation lab complied with the national standard and could hold seven tasters at a time.”

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    The process for evaluating a flavor is precise. Before picking up a vaping device, each taster washes and sanitizes their hands and then chews a slice of lemon or yellow peach to clean the palate. Testers than drink boiled water to freshen up the mouth and smell coffee beans.

    “It is not until the light and the exhaust fan in the booth are turned on that the taster begins tasting,” Smoore explained. “While tasting, a recorded form with all detailed criteria is prepared for scoring and taking notes. Afterwards, the same vaping device will be handed over to chromatography, electron microscope as well as reliability labs to analyze its e-liquid ingredients, coil and safety … a diagnostic report will be produced based on both human and machine criteria. FEELM is then able to figure out the deficiencies in the vaping experience and work out precise solutions.”

    The FEELM Taste Scientific Institute is made up of more than 10 labs, including cell lab, taste evaluation lab, element analysis lab, chromatography lab, and electron microscope lab. The company says its labs can produce 50 physical tests, more than 200 chemical tests, six microbiological test items, three genetic toxicology tests, three categories of clinical abuse tests, as well as three categories of human factor testing.

    “Besides scientific research, great taste cannot be separated from production,” the company said. “Smoore has established a rigorous production safety standard, which is even stricter than the TPD [Tobacco Products Directive] in the EU and AFNOR in France. The production protocols are also more stringent than what is required by the premarket tobacco product application process for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, covering 50 individual tests.”

    FEELM also developed the first fully automated pod production line in the vapor industry. Its production capacity is 6,000 pieces per hour, boosting efficiency five times over manual production. Automated production guarantees the stability and consistency of quality.

    “Taste is a meaningful word,” said Han. “Great taste relies on the scientific system of fundamental research, the persistent improvement of product development and manufacturing, strict quality control, and a devoted focus towards science and ingenuity.”