OCB, Greengo, Smoking, ...: what are the differences between rolling papers?

Gone are the days when our tobacco merchants only sold OCB or Rizla. Zig Zag, Raw, Greengo, Smoking, Futurola, you'll have a choice of many brands, each offering different variations: leaf size, width, thickness, bleached or unbleached.

But what are the things to look for when choosing your rolling papers? Are certain slim sheets are better than others?

All tastes are different, but for us, the ideal foil is thin, sticks perfectly and is easy to roll (no corners that slip out at the last moment or move once wedged under the filter/toncar). The taste of the leaf should not alter that of the contents. Leaves should be processed as little as possible, and without chlorine.

The main differences in rolling papers are :

• On the paper's original material: rice paper (actually made from flax). or hemp) or cellulose
• Sheet size, length and width
• Paper thickness and grammage
• Combustion speed
• Paper opacity
• The whiteness and brightness of the sheet
• Sheet rigidity
• Paper glue

Review of different brands

OCB

OCB is the best-selling leaf in France, thanks in part to the well-defended monopoly enjoyed by its rightful owners. The fact is, OCBs are thin, 100% natural and stick (well) with gum arabic. They are suitable for beginners and experienced smokers alike.

OCB has launched a Chanvre Bio range, made from organic hemp. The paper is brown and is normally processed one less time than white papers. This slightly alters the taste of the leaf, leaving a strange aroma. The Virgin Paper range will undoubtedly be the cleanest, with an experience promised to be «100% natural».

As for the rumors surrounding the sheet, they no longer belong to Bolloré (he's still a minority shareholder), and never belonged to the Le Pen family. On the other hand, OCB was condemned for «unfair competition» when Onda e maresia wanted to bring out its transparent sheets. This is where their bad reputation comes from, OCB had spread the word that the leaves contained traces of mercury and lead.

Rizla

Rizla is the second best-selling brand in France. Not surprisingly, OCB and Rizla are the only brands generally found in French tobacco shops. Their long leaves are light and slow-burning. The only regret is that the stickiness is less effective than OCB.

Smoking

Tuxedos are often found for sale in Amsterdam coffees. King-sized and slightly longer than OCBs, their leaves are now ultra-thin, unbleached and high quality.

Smoking has launched a «Pure Hemp» range, made from 100% hemp fibers.

Greengo

Greengo sheets are made from pulp sourced from sustainable, chlorine-free forests, and the sizing is 100% natural gum arabic. The paper is as fine as an OCB and promotes quality rolling. The big advantage of Greengo is that the sheet leaves no taste. Try it and you'll love it! The watermark on the paper also makes for a pleasant burn.

To go all the way, the packaging for the sheets is also «green»: recycled cardboard and organic ink.

Yeuf

Behind Yeuf, two Frenchmen have taken on the OCB - Rizla monopoly to offer cheaper, quality sheets. The packs are carefully designed, with some «original» editions by graffiti artists like Kay One.

The leaves are very thin and made of natural gum arabic. As large as an OCB and narrower.

Raw

Raw's long sheets are already a classic across the Atlantic. The brand sponsors Instagrameurs and other cannabic rappers like Wiz Khalifa. They are made from unrefined organic hemp (hence their brown color), with a watermark in the leaf that leads to slow combustion of the leaf. The packaging is made of kraft paper and contains cardboard filters.