The Difference between High and Low-Quality Seams in Rosin and Bubble Wash Bags

THE PRESS CLUB HIGH QUALITY SEAMS
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Todde Philips

🇺🇸 Retired veteran, father, rock-climbing expert & rosin connoisseur.

High quality seams make a good bag great. As the make or break joint between various segments of fabric in rosin bags and bubble wash bags, seams need to be able to perform under pressure. Compromised or low-quality seams just won’t do. When sourcing rosin bags and bubble wash bags for solventless extractions, it’s critical to focus on the seams and make sure they’ll hold up through rigorous use.  

Seams are the stitched-together areas of fabric in rosin bags and bubble wash bags that join different sections of material together in order to form the shape of the bags. Seams are easy to spot by the threaded stitching that’s apparent along any length of the fabric where two edges of the material join together.

Seams generally don’t get a lot of attention, and they’re often an under appreciated aspect of sieving bags. But far from insignificant, seams are either a point of strength or a point of weakness. Not all seams are the same. 

 

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Why Are High-Quality Seams So Critical to Solventless Success?

A high-quality seam can withstand heat, pressure, and the duress of solventless extractions. Rosin bags are tested in a high-pressure environment between heated rosin plates, while bubble wash bags take the beating of ice water extraction and carry several pounds of water weight during the sieving process. Low-quality seams can’t withstand these stressors and are liable to break or blowout. 

Blown out rosin bags and ripped bubble wash bags result in lost yields. When pressing rosin, bag malfunction can waste an entire run, allowing bubble hash to ooze out of the bag and mix into the rosin. When washing hash, a broken seam can allow the material to escape without first passing through the sieve, meaning the loose resin needs to be re-run through that micron bag. That is, if you already have a replacement of the same micron on hand. 

It’s a setback to say the least. Working with low-quality seams simply isn’t worth it. 

Differences between Low-Quality and High-Quality Seams

Let's look at some distinct characteristics of seams and what differentiates their quality. 

Stitching Technique  
The technique used in constructing the seams is apparent when inspecting the seams. Check the pattern of the stitch and the repetition of the stitch - is it close together or far apart? High-quality seams have stitches that are close together. Low-quality seams have stitches that are farther apart (which allows the manufacturer to use less threading). 

THE PRESS CLUB HIGH QUALITY SEAMS

Far-apart stitching gives less overall strength and the stitching will break down more quickly over time. High-quality seams have a tighter pattern on the stitching, giving it more strength and resiliency. Make sure you're using bags with tight repetition in the threading of the seams. 

Hand-stitched vs. Machine-stitched
Hand stitching is much more accurate compared to mass-production machine stitching. Machine stitching allows greater production volume, so the manufacturer can make more bags more quickly. But the result is a much lower quality. Machines make more errors in production.

Operators with extensive stitching experience that hand-stitch seams will produce a noticeably better quality seam than a machine. Hand stitching seams creates superior seams. 

THE PRESS CLUB HIGH QUALITY SEAMS
THE PRESS CLUB HIGH QUALITY SEAMS

Single-piece vs. Multiple-piece Construction
Single-piece or multiple-piece construction relates to the fabric joined together at the seams. Some bags are made with separate pieces of fabric which are stitched together at the seams, while other bags are made with a single piece of fabric that’s simply joined together to close the bag at the seams. 

Single piece is the ideal construction, as it creates a much stronger bag. Multiple pieces of material sewn together lead to more weakness in the bag, opening up greater vulnerability for blowouts and breakage. 

THE PRESS CLUB HIGH QUALITY SEAMS

Threading Material
The best material for threading high-quality seams for rosin bags is a nylon/polyester blend. Remember, low-quality threading = cheap bags. Some lower-quality manufacturers use cotton threading, which soaks up more rosin in rosin bags. Lower-quality cotton also breaks down and comes loose over a few washes with bubble wash bags. Look for the stronger, longer-lasting nylon and polyester blend threading in the best rosin and bubble wash bags.

THE PRESS CLUB HIGH QUALITY SEAMS

Conclusion

Seams are key to high-quality performance in rosin and bubble wash bags. Similar to something that's welded properly vs. not welded properly, seams and how a bag is constructed can make a huge difference on durability and longevity. Seams may not be glamorous, but they’re super important. 

We take seams seriously here at The Press Club. Our rosin bags and bubble wash bags seams are made with a tight stitching pattern, sewn by hand, constructed with just one full piece of material, and threaded with top-quality thread material.

Next time you’re in the market for solventless rosin or bubble wash bags, don’t overlook the seams. You can tell a lot about the quality just by looking at them. 

Happy Hashing!


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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What are seams in rosin bags and bubble wash bags?
Seams are the stitched-together areas of fabric in rosin bags and bubble wash bags that join different sections of material together in order to form the shape of the bags. Seams are easy to spot by the threaded stitching that’s apparent along any length of the fabric where two edges of the material join together.

Why are high-quality seams important in rosin bags and bubble wash bags?
High quality seams make a good bag great. As the make or break joint between various segments of fabric in rosin bags and bubble wash bags, seams need to be able to perform under pressure.

What's the risk of using bags with low-quality seams?
Low-quality seams can’t withstand these stressors of solventless extraction and are liable to break or blowout.  Blown out rosin bags and ripped bubble wash bags result in lost yields. 

What type of stitching is best for seams in rosin bags and bubble wash bags?
Far-apart stitching gives less overall strength and the stitching will break down more quickly over time. High-quality seams have a tighter pattern on the stitching, giving it more strength and resiliency. Make sure you're using bags with tight repetition in the threading of the seams. 

What is better, hand-stitching or machine-stitching in bubble wash bags?
Hand stitching is much more accurate compared to mass-production machine stitching. Machine stitching allows greater production volume, so the manufacturer can make more bags more quickly. But the result is a much lower quality.

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