Why Testing Matters More Than Marketing Claims 

  • By Jeremy Amos

Published: Friday, Nov 7, 2025

"How do you know your ingredients are really what they say they are?"

 

It's one of the most important questions in product development. And honestly? It's one of the hardest to answer with confidence.

 

Not because quality is impossible to verify. But because in an industry still finding its footing, the language of quality—the claims, the certifications, the marketing—can all sound the same, regardless of what's actually behind it.

 

So how do you cut through the noise and build real confidence in your supply chain?

 

The answer is simpler and more beautiful than you might think: comprehensive testing creates undeniable clarity.

 

Let me show you what that looks like.

Title

Why Testing Is the Universal Language

Here's what I love about testing: it's objective.

 

A Certificate of Analysis doesn't care about marketing budgets or impressive websites. It doesn't care about how long a company has been in business or how many awards they've won.

 

It just tells you what's in the product. The numbers don't lie. They don't exaggerate. They just are.

 

That clarity is powerful. Because when you're building products that people put in their bodies, you need more than promises. You need proof.

 

And proof comes from rigorous testing.

Title

The Evolution of Testing in Our Industry

The cannabinoid industry has come so far in such a short time.

 

Five years ago, many manufacturers weren't testing at all. Or they'd test once and use that result for months of production. The idea of batch-specific, comprehensive testing felt excessive to some.

 

Today? The best manufacturers test everything, every time. Not because regulations force them to (though that's coming). But because it's the foundation of building something that lasts.

 

We're watching an industry grow up in real time. And testing protocols are at the heart of that maturation.

Title

What Comprehensive Testing Actually Looks Like

When I talk about comprehensive testing, here's what I mean:

 

1. Potency Testing (Knowing What You're Working With)

  • What it tests: The actual cannabinoid content—CBD, THC, CBG, CBN, whatever you're formulating with.
  • Why it matters: This is your foundation. If the potency isn't what you expect, your entire formulation is off before you even start. Accurate potency data lets you create consistent products.

 

2. Pesticide Testing (Protecting What Matters)

  • What it tests: 60+ pesticide compounds that might have been used during cultivation.
  • Why it matters: Hemp concentrates whatever's in the soil. Testing a comprehensive pesticide panel ensures you're not concentrating contaminants along with cannabinoids.

 

3. Heavy Metals Testing (Long-Term Safety)

  • What it tests: Lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury.
  • Why it matters: Hemp is a bioaccumulator—it pulls minerals from soil, including heavy metals. Testing ensures these don't end up in your products where they can accumulate in the body over time.

 

4. Microbial Testing (Handling and Storage Quality)

  • What it tests: Total aerobic bacteria, yeast, mold counts, and specific pathogens like E. coli and Salmonella.
  • Why it matters: Microbial counts tell a story about handling, storage, and manufacturing cleanliness. Low counts indicate careful processes. High counts suggest opportunities for improvement.

 

5. Residual Solvents Testing (Extraction Cleanliness)

  • What it tests: Any solvents used during extraction that might remain in the final product.
  • Why it matters: Different solvents have different safety profiles. Testing ensures that any residual solvents are at safe levels according to USP standards.
Title

The Beautiful Thing About Third-Party Testing

There's something powerful about inviting an independent lab to verify your work.

 

It says: "We believe in what we're making enough to have someone else check it."

 

Third-party, ISO 17025-accredited labs have no skin in the game. They don't get better results by making you look good. They just report what they find.

 

That objectivity creates trust. Not just between supplier and customer, but throughout the entire supply chain—all the way to the end consumer who's never going to see the COA but benefits from its existence.

Title

What Questions Reveal About Quality Commitment

When you're evaluating ingredient suppliers, the questions you ask matter. But even more revealing is how they answer.

 

Questions that build understanding:

  1. "Can you walk me through your testing protocol?" A supplier who's proud of their testing will light up at this question. They'll want to share the details.
  2. "What's your testing frequency?" You're looking for "every batch" not "representative sampling." Batch-to-batch testing is how you ensure consistency.
  3. "Which labs do you work with, and why did you choose them?" This reveals whether they've thought about lab quality or just picked whoever was cheapest.
  4. "Has a batch ever failed testing? What happened?" Everyone has failures if they're testing rigorously. The question is what they did about it.
  5. "Can I see the COA for my specific batch before it ships?" Batch-specific documentation should be standard, not a special request.

Notice: none of these questions are accusatory. They're curious. They're about understanding the supplier's approach to quality.

The right suppliers will welcome these conversations. Because they're proud of their answers.

Title

How We Think About Testing at OBX

Every batch that leaves our facility has been through comprehensive third-party testing. Every single one.

 

Is it expensive? Yes. Does it add time to our process? Absolutely.

But here's what it gives us: certainty.

 

When we tell a customer their batch meets specifications, we're not guessing. We're not hoping. We know. Because independent labs have verified it.

 

And when a batch doesn't meet our standards? We reject it. Even when it costs us thousands of dollars. Even when it hurts. Because building trust is more valuable than any single batch. And trust is built on consistency, documentation, and the willingness to make hard calls when the data tells you to.

 

That's not just our testing philosophy. That's our business philosophy.

Title

The Industry We're Building Together

Here's what excites us about where the cannabinoid industry is heading:

Testing is becoming standard, not exceptional. Comprehensive COAs are expected, not impressive. Third-party verification is table stakes.

 

This is good for everyone. Good for manufacturers who are doing it right. Good for brands who can build with confidence. Good for consumers who deserve safe, consistent products.

 

We're moving from "trust me" to "here's the data." From marketing claims to documented proof.

 

That shift—from promises to evidence—is what transforms an emerging industry into a mature one.

Title

The Questions That Guide Quality

If you're evaluating ingredients, here are the questions that matter most:

Not "do you test?" (everyone will say yes) but:

  • How often do you test?
  • What do you test for?
  • Who runs the tests?
  • What do you do when results are out of spec?
  • Can I see batch-specific results for my order?

These questions don't assume bad faith. They assume you're a partner who wants to understand their process. That you care about building something good together.

 

The suppliers who share that commitment? They'll appreciate the questions.

Title

The Bottom Line

Testing isn't about catching people doing something wrong.

 

It's about building something right. Together. With documentation and evidence and the kind of transparency that creates genuine confidence.

Your customers trust you to deliver safe, effective products. You trust your suppliers to provide quality ingredients. Testing is how that trust becomes verifiable.

 

It's how promises become proof.

 

And in an industry still earning consumer trust, that proof matters more than any marketing claim ever could.