Organic hemp cultivation, Harvesting by hand,gentle extraction and quality controlThe cornerstonesof our products
Our passion is CBD. We do everything we can to produce our products in the highest quality. From seed to harvest and extraction to sale - every single step is our responsibility. This is ultimately reflected in our products.
The hemp plant is like a sponge. It soaks up what it finds with its long roots in all the layers of the soil. That is why we only plant our cuttings in fields that have been organically cultivated for over 25 years.
In spring we plant our cuttings In BioSuisse fields, outdoors and in the greenhouse
It all starts with the seed. The intention of cultivation, be it for seeds, fibres, food or CBD oil, determines the choice of hemp variety as well as the time of sowing. The seedlings find their place in the soil in spring, as hemp is sensitive to frost. Planting before April or May is avoided in order to prevent temperatures below 0°C.
We grow our hemp plants both outdoors and in greenhouses on ecologically sustainable soils. In the greenhouse, the plants are grown in the field, but under a protective roof that allows them to absorb all the valuable nutrients from the soil.
In nature, hemp flowers after the summer solstice, the longest day of the year (usually 20-22 June). In the greenhouse, this process can be influenced by targeted darkening and lighting, which in turn enables several harvests per year.
More info on our cultivation
What kind of hemp do we grow?
Hemp, a plant from the hemp family, consists of two main species: Cannabis Sativa and Cannabis Indica. Hemp has been cultivated and used by humans for thousands of years and is considered the oldest useful plant.
At ALPINOLS, we exploit the optimal potential of Cannabis Sativa
Why do we grow organically?
Hemp is a deep rooter. The roots grow very deep into the soil. The hemp plant can thus fetch enough water from deeper soil layers even during drought. However, it can also absorb harmful substances in the soil if the soil has not been cultivated organically for long enough. That is why we at ALPINOLS grow our hemp sustainably according to the Bio Suisse guidelines.
Why is our hemp cultivation legal?
We use hemp varieties from the EU Commercial Hemp Varieties Catalogue, which lists all commercial hemp varieties certified by the EU that may be grown for commercial purposes in the EU. Only officially recognised farmers are authorised to grow hemp. These farmers must use special seeds that have been approved by the competent national authority.
Our CBD products at ALPINOLS meet strict THC limits and we focus on transparent hemp cultivation. However, please note that CBD-enriched foods and food supplements are classified under the Novel Food Regulation in the EU. In order to sell them, a successful Novel Food registration is required. Our CBD oils are classified as cosmetics and labelled accordingly.
Harvest in autumn Traditionally by hand
Harvesting takes place in autumn when the flowers are ripe or after simulated time in the greenhouse. Flowers and leaves are separated from the stem. For our CBD oil, we use the fine leaf edge around the flowers, known as the trim. This is gently harvested by hand.
The trim goes through further processing and enters an oven where the crushed leaves are dried at over 200 degrees. This converts the inactive cannabinoid CBD (present in the plant as CBDA) into active CBD - this process is called decarboxylation.
From the plant to the extract Our gentle CO₂ extraction
CBD, cannabinoids, terpenes and botanicals are obtained by extraction. There are various methods to separate these substances from the plant matter, whereby the method influences the purity and quality of the CBD oil. At ALPINOLS, we use the gentle CO₂ extraction.
This process uses carbon dioxide. Although CO₂ is associated with exhaust gases, it plays a special role here. CO₂ is gaseous at normal room temperature, but becomes liquid under high pressure. In CO₂ extraction, the CO₂ flows in liquid form under pressure over the plant mass to dissolve the desired components.
It then evaporates at normal temperature, leaving no residue in the extract. What remains is a pure CBD extract including cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids.
More info onextraction
What other types of extraction are there?
Oil extraction
Cannabinoids are fat-soluble. The hemp leaves are mixed with oil and heated to around 100°C, dissolving the cannabinoids in the oil. However, vegetable oil perishes quickly and the CBD content with this extraction is also low.
Solvent extraction
This extraction method uses ethanol as a solvent. The finely chopped leaves containing the CBD are mixed with the solvent and then heated until only the CBD extract is left. However, not only CBD is extracted here, but also the chlorophyll, which can be harmful to humans in large quantities. In addition, residues of the solvent may be present, which would be extremely harmful.
How is THC-free oil produced?
After the CO₂ extraction, there is a full-spectrum extract that does not exceed the maximum amount of THC permitted by law. This full-spectrum extract can be turned into a broad-spectrum extract by removing the THC.
This requires filtration first, also known as winterization. Winterization involves freezing the full-spectrum extract with ethanol. This dissolves the vegetable fats of the hemp. The mixture is then filtered and distilled.
The remaining CBD extract is freed from THC by flash chromatography. Due to the different molecular sizes of the cannabinoids, the THC is specifically extracted and removed by pressure.
Quality ControlThe final touch
After extracting the CBD extract from the plant matter, it is mixed with a carrier oil to create CBD oils of different concentrations. At ALPINOLS, we use organic sunflower seed oil, among other things.
According to this procedure, the in-house laboratory tests each batch. To ensure quality and ensure transparency, their own products are also tested by an independent laboratory. This is followed by the bottling of the oil, the affixing of labels and the packaging of the vials.
The quality of CBD oil depends on various factors, from soil to on harvesting, extraction method and choice of carrier oil. Each of these building blocks is crucial. To be certain of high-quality CBD oil, research into the cultivation and production methods is recommended.
More information about theQuality Control
How do you recognize good CBD oil?
Assessing the quality of CBD oil requires attention to several factors: hemp cultivation under strict conditions – ideally organic, without pesticides; gentle CO2 extraction for optimal cannabinoids and terpenes; tested cannabinoid content and compliance with the THC limit; Choice of Full Spectrum or CBD Isolate; Transparency through third-party lab testing; carefully selected carrier oil; reliable reviews; Beware of extremely cheap options; if necessary, consultation with experts; note individual reactions. Start with a low dosage and observe the effect.
What do the lab reports show?
The cannabinoid lab reports provide insight into the composition of our CBD products. Inside you will find:
- Cannabinoid Levels: Amounts of CBD, THC, CBG, CBN and more are listed to show the cannabinoid distribution in the product.
- THC content: Important for possible intoxicating effects, the THC content and its compliance with the legal limits (below 0.2% THC) are indicated.
- Analysis method and laboratory: The test method used and laboratory details are listed to ensure standardized procedures.
- Details of analysis: date of analysis, sample type, lot/batch number, and sample designation.
