Staff Picks: The Coolest Wood Tray Designs This Month
February 13, 2026
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There is a moment in every cannabis enthusiast’s ritual that is sacred.
It is the moment before the spark. It is the preparation. You have your grinder. You have your papers. You have your premium flower—perhaps a gram of Sugarcane or Runtz from our top shelf.
But where does this ritual take place?
For too many people, it happens on a magazine cover, a plastic fast-food tray, or a cold metal dish stamped with a cartoon logo.
We believe your ritual deserves better. We believe the stage is just as important as the actors.
At HazeBuds Cannabis Dispensary, we have a deep appreciation for the natural world. We don’t just sell plants; we celebrate the earth that grew them. That is why our accessories section is dominated not by plastic, but by Wood.
Specifically, the legendary hardwoods of Northern Thailand: Teak, Rosewood, and Padauk.
Every month, we receive a new shipment from our artisan partners in the woodcarving villages south of Chiang Mai. And every month, our staff gathers around the boxes like kids on Christmas morning to see what nature has created this time.
Because wood is natural, no two pieces are ever the same. The grain patterns are like fingerprints.
“Nature is the best artist. See our new arrivals.”
This month’s drop is particularly spectacular. We have seen grain patterns that look like flowing water, knots that look like galaxies, and colors that range from honey-gold to deep chocolate.
Here are the Staff Picks for this month—the trays that stopped us in our tracks and demanded to be featured.
Before we unveil the specific pieces, let’s talk about why you should care about a wooden tray. Why not just buy a cheap metal one?
1. The “Chatoyancy” (The Cat’s Eye Effect) This is a term used by woodworkers and gemologists. It refers to the way light reflects off the wood fibers. When you hold a high-quality Teak or Rosewood tray and tilt it under the light, the wood seems to shimmer. It has depth. It looks 3D, even though the surface is smooth. A metal tray is flat. A wooden tray is a hologram of nature. When you are high, staring into the grain of your tray can be a mesmerizing experience in itself.
2. The Anti-Static Advantage This is the practical benefit. Plastic and metal generate static electricity. When you dump your ground weed onto them, the Trichomes (the crystals containing the THC) get stuck to the tray. You lose the best part of your smoke. Wood is anti-static. Your kief doesn’t stick to it. It slides effortlessly into your paper.
3. The Warmth Metal is cold. Plastic is soulless. Wood is warm. It matches the organic nature of the cannabis flower. Rolling a joint on a wooden tray feels like a connection between two natural elements.
Selected by: Joy (Head Budtender, Old City Branch) The Vibe: Aggressive, Bold, Energetic.
The Look: This tray stopped Joy in her tracks. Usually, Teak is a uniform golden brown. But this specific piece of timber must have come from a tree that struggled, fought, and survived. The grain features high-contrast streaks of dark black and espresso brown cutting through the golden background. It looks exactly like the flank of a tiger. The lines are jagged and electric.
The Story of the Grain: These dark streaks often occur in Teak when the tree absorbs specific minerals from the soil, or when it endures stress from the wind. It is a visual representation of resilience.
Perfect Pairing: This tray screams energy.
Strain: Pair it with Lemon Grass Gas or Orange Cream Pop.
Activity: This is the tray you use on a Saturday afternoon before heading out to a music festival or a busy night at the Sunday Walking Street. It is loud, proud, and beautiful.
Selected by: Boyd (Manager, Sridonchai Branch) The Vibe: Mysterious, Luxury, Late Night.
The Look: Rosewood (Mai Ching Chan) is heavier and denser than Teak. This particular tray is almost black, but when you hit it with light, you see swirls of deep burgundy, purple, and chocolate. Boyd calls it “Deep Water” because looking at the grain feels like looking into a deep river at midnight. It has a swirling, hypnotic quality. The finish is polished to a glass-like shine, enhancing the depth of the color.
The Texture: Rosewood is so dense it almost feels like stone or marble. It stays cool to the touch. The sound of your grinder tapping against it is a solid, low-frequency thud that screams quality.
Perfect Pairing: This is a tray for the connoisseur. It belongs in a dimly lit room with jazz playing.
Strain: Godfather Bomb (Indica). The heavy, dark vibes of the tray match the heavy, sedative effects of the strain.
Activity: A solo session with a good pair of headphones, or a deep conversation with close friends.
Selected by: May (Budtender, Chiang Mai Gate Branch) The Vibe: Chaos, Organic, Wabi-Sabi.
The Look: Most trays are cut into perfect rectangles or ovals. This one breaks the rules. It is made from a “Burl”—a knotty growth on the side of a tree where the grain grows in chaotic, swirling directions. One edge of the tray has been left “Live,” meaning the natural bark line of the tree is preserved (though sanded smooth so it doesn’t flake). The grain inside is a kaleidoscope of tiny swirls, eyes, and waves. It is chaotic beauty.
The Philosophy: This tray embodies Wabi-Sabi, the Japanese aesthetic of finding beauty in imperfection. It isn’t symmetrical. It isn’t perfect. And that is what makes it perfect. It reminds you that nature is wild and untamed.
Perfect Pairing:
Strain: Jelly Donutz (Hybrid). A strain that enhances creativity and visual appreciation. You will find yourself staring at the “eyes” in the wood for twenty minutes.
Activity: Painting, drawing, or journaling. This tray sparks creativity.
Selected by: The Whole Team The Vibe: Classic, Happy, Lanna.
The Look: Sometimes, simple is best. This tray is a masterclass in classic Golden Teak. The grain radiates outward from the center like rays of sunlight. The color is a bright, vibrant honey-gold that seems to glow from within. It represents the quintessential Chiang Mai aesthetic. It looks like the timber used to build the ancient temples.
The Craftsmanship: Because the grain is straighter, you can really see the precision of the carving. The edges are routed perfectly smooth. The curve of the rolling area is mathematically precise to ensure your weed gathers in the center.
Perfect Pairing:
Strain: Purple Thai (Landrace Sativa). A classic Thai strain for a classic Thai tray.
Activity: A morning Wake-and-Bake with a cup of local coffee. The bright color of the wood matches the morning sun.
When you buy one of these trays, you aren’t just buying a product; you are supporting a lineage.
We source our wood accessories from Baan Tawai, the village of woodcarvers located south of the city. These skills are passed down from father to son, mother to daughter. In a world of CNC machines and laser cutters, these artisans still use chisels, gouges, and hand-planes.
Why the “Monthly Drop” Matters: Because these are handmade, the supply is not infinite. We cannot order “100 Tiger Stripe Trays.” We have to go to the village, look at the wood they have available, and select the pieces that speak to us. This means that the inventory at HazeBuds is constantly rotating. The tray you see today might be gone tomorrow. And because wood grain is unique, there will never be another one exactly like it in the universe.
Buying a tray is a treasure hunt.
If you treat these trays right, they will last for generations. Unlike plastic which gets brittle, wood gets better with age. It develops a “patina” from the oils in your hands.
The HazeBuds Care Guide:
Don’t Soak It: Wood hates being submerged in water. It will swell and warp.
Cleaning: Wipe it down with a damp cloth or a little rubbing alcohol on a paper towel to remove sticky resin. Dry it immediately.
Feeding: Once a month, rub a few drops of Coconut Oil, Mineral Oil, or Beeswax into the wood. Watch as the dry wood drinks up the oil and the colors suddenly pop. It’s a satisfying ritual in itself.
Many of our customers are tourists. They ask, “I love the weed, but I can’t take it home. What can I take?”
The answer is a Wood Tray.
It is Legal: You can fly internationally with clean wood accessories.
It is Durable: Throw it in your checked bag. It won’t break like glass.
It is Meaningful: Every time you roll a joint back home in Berlin, New York, or Sydney, you will look at that Golden Teak and remember the vibe of Chiang Mai. You remember the rain, the temples, and the good times at HazeBuds.
We can describe them to you, but you have to feel them. We invite you to come to HazeBuds.
The Process:
Walk to the accessories section.
Don’t just look with your eyes. Pick them up.
Feel the weight. Some like a heavy Rosewood slab; others like a light Teak plate.
Run your fingers over the curve. Is it smooth?
Tilt it under the light to check for that “Chatoyancy.”
Trust your gut. Usually, there is one tray that just feels “right.” That’s the one.
Cannabis is a plant of the earth. It deserves to be processed on a material of the earth.
Switching from a plastic tray to a hand-carved wooden masterpiece changes the energy of your session. It slows you down. It makes you appreciate the process of rolling as much as the act of smoking.
Nature is the best artist. See our new arrivals.
These “Staff Picks” are on the shelves right now at Old City, Chiang Mai Gate, and Sridonchai. But they won’t be there for long.
Come find the piece of nature that belongs in your home.
Stay Natural. Stay Elevated.
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