How Is CBD Oil Made?

CBD Oil has continued to grow in popularity over the last few years, with as many as 64 million Americans estimated to have tried CBD.

But while the number of users seems to be increasing, there are still very few people who are aware of how the finished products are actually produced.

So how is CBD oil made?

What Is CBD Oil?

CBD oil is a food supplement that contains CBD, or Cannabidiol, often alongside other cannabinoid compounds which are found in the Cannabis Sativa plant, also known as the Hemp plant.

These cannabinoid compounds interact with our endocannabinoid system (ECS) - a network of receptors and pathways that are found throughout the central and peripheral nervous systems.

The central and peripheral nervous systems help to ensure that our body functions as intended, regardless of any external stimuli, through a process known as homeostasis.

While the body produces its own small amount of endocannabinoids, these don’t form part of our diet, so in order to help our body function at it’s best, we can add CBD to help give the body what it needs.

How Is CBD Oil Made?

While the finished product may seem simple, the process behind producing a bottle of full-spectrum CBD oil takes quite some time. Here are the steps we take when our CBD oil is made.

Hemp Plants Are Grown & Harvested

The first step in producing CBD oil is growing the hemp plants.

For all of our products, these cannabis plants are grown in the EU by farmers who have been growing hemp for three generations.

Hemp is grown organically because it’s a plant that draws toxins up from the soil it grows in. This means that any toxins found in fertilisers or soil treatments can make their way into the plant and ultimately end up in the finished product.

Once the hemp plant has reached the age where its cannabinoid levels have peaked and potency is guaranteed, the plants are harvested with the whole plant being used to take advantage of all of the cannabinoids, terpenoids and flavanoids. 

The CBD Is Extracted

Once the plant has been harvested, it’s time for the CBD and other compounds to be extracted.

Two of the most common extraction methods are carbon dioxide extraction and ethanol extraction.

Carbon Dioxide Extraction

The first, and arguably most common extraction method is with carbon dioxide.

Although the equipment for CO2 extraction is often much more expensive, and the extraction process can be slower, it’s also a much easier process to scale as the complex systems can be controlled by computers.

CO2 extraction also prevents any residual solvents from being left behind once the process is complete, which makes this extraction method ideal for products that will be used for vape pens or similar.

We use CO2 extraction for all of our products because we believe it’s the best way to produce safe, high-quality products.

Ethanol Extraction

In contrast to CO2 extraction, ethanol extraction, also known as solvent extraction, is much quicker and cheaper, and the whole process consumes much less energy.

However, it’s much more difficult to fine-tune the extraction process, and because the ethanol also extracts chlorophyll from the hemp plant the cannabis extract will also require further processing before it’s ready for use.

For both processes, the product is ready to use in full spectrum CBD products after the initial extraction. However, if the products need to be broad-spectrum, or made from a CBD isolate, then the extract will need to be refined further to remove the unwanted compounds.

Extract Added To Carrier Oil

To turn the extract into the finished CBD oil, it first needs to be added to a carrier oil.

Carrier oils are used to dilute the pure extract down to the required concentration, as well as helping to affect the taste and texture of the final product.

Some of the most popular carrier oils used today are hemp seed oil, coconut oil, olive oil and MCT oil.

We use hemp seed oil so that our products have a hearty, earthy flavour that we think comes as close as you can get to the plant itself.

Bottling & Labelling

After being mixed with the carrier oil, the finished product is ready to be bottled and labelled.

Our manufacturing base achieved ISO 22000 accreditation last year, which is the highest available for food standards and means we have a consistent, high quality and safe product each and every time.

Once this has been completed, and the cannabinoid profile has been confirmed, the finished products are packed up and shipped out, ready to be sold to the end-user.

The Bottom Line

As you can see, there’s a lot of work that goes into producing each and every bottle of CBD oil - and that’s not to mention the 5-6 months it takes for the plants to go from seed to harvest.

But the final result is a potent little bottle of CBD oil that makes the most of everything mother nature has to offer.