Industry News
Cones and Hemp Wraps Reshape the Rolling Aisle as Zig-Zag Adapts to New Trends
The humble rolling paper is having an identity crisis — in a good way for shoppers who like options. Classic booklet papers, long the backbone of the roll-your-own aisle, are giving ground to pre-rolled cones and hemp wraps, and the numbers from the category's biggest name make the trend hard to miss.
Zig-Zag's parent company reported a sharp drop in paper-and-wrap shipments early in 2026 even as it leans harder into cones, hemp wraps, and the legal-cannabis channel. For an online shop stocking Zig Zag Cigarette Papers - 24 Books of 32 Leaves Bulk Carton alongside newcomers like Tyson 2.0 x Futurola, it's a useful read on where the rolling aisle is heading.
The numbers behind the shift
Turning Point Brands (TPB), which owns Zig-Zag, gives a clear window into the category. In its first-quarter 2026 results, the company's total revenue rose about 17%, but the Zig-Zag segment's sales fell roughly 22% on the back of weaker wraps and papers shipments, according to coverage of TPB's investor materials by Investing.com. For the full year 2025, the Zig-Zag segment had already slipped about 7%, partly from winding down its Clipper lighter business.
That softness sits against a backdrop the company has described for years: the traditional rolling-paper market is relatively small and slow-growing, while demand is migrating toward formats and channels tied to legal cannabis. TPB's own strategy reflects it — the firm has talked openly about deploying capital to capitalize on legalization, and about consumers increasingly buying papers and cones at dispensaries and head shops rather than the corner store, as CFO Dive reported.
Why cones and wraps are winning
The appeal is convenience and format. Pre-rolled cones do the hard part for you — a ready-made shell you simply fill — which lowers the skill barrier that classic papers demand. Hemp wraps, meanwhile, offer a tobacco-free alternative to traditional blunt wraps. Zig-Zag, founded in 1879 and still positioned as the top premium rolling-paper brand in the U.S. and Canada, has extended well beyond booklets into cones, wraps, Global Classic Cigarette Filter Tubes, and accessories to meet that demand.
Newer entrants are riding the same wave. The Tyson 2.0 x Futurola line — a collaboration tied to Mike Tyson — leans entirely into pre-rolled cones, tobacco-free blunt cones, trays, and rolling machines, a portfolio built around the formats that are actually growing rather than the booklet that's shrinking. For those who still prefer traditional methods, Zig Zag Wraps & Rolling Papers: Every Type Compared (2026) provides a detailed look at the brand's evolving lineup.
What it means for shoppers
For roll-your-own customers, the practical upshot is more choice and a gentler learning curve. If you've stuck with classic papers out of habit, cones are worth a look for speed and consistency, and Premium Tobacco Wraps & Blunt Leaves are a tobacco-free option if that's what you're after. Established brands like Zig-Zag now span all three formats, so brand loyalty no longer means sticking to one product type. Those looking for a natural leaf experience might also consider Loose Leaf Natural Wraps - 20 Packs of 2.
Rolling papers, cones, and wraps are accessories — they don't contain tobacco themselves, but what you use them with is governed by your state and local law, which varies widely, especially for anything cannabis-related.
A few honest caveats: These are adult products sold to customers 21 and older, and nothing here is an endorsement to consume any particular substance. As always, what a retailer can sell and ship depends on where you live. For more information on regional restrictions, see State Tobacco Laws in 2026: New Taxes, Flavor Rules, and What Online Shoppers Should Know. For those interested in traditional tobacco options, the market remains robust for Filtered Cigars and premium leaves.
The bottom line
The rolling aisle is quietly reorganizing itself around cones and hemp wraps, and the category's flagship brand is following the demand rather than fighting it. For shoppers, that means the formats are more varied and more beginner-friendly than they were a few years ago — a shift worth knowing about whether you reach for Zig-Zag, a newer cone brand, or both. If you are exploring other traditional categories, you might also check out the Best Hookah Flavors for Beginners: A Complete Shisha Guide to see how other segments are adapting.