Gordon Loi, Founder of VITAE Glass – Interview Series

Gordon Loi, Founder of VITAE Glass, is a cannabis innovator and sustainability advocate dedicated to reshaping how business impacts the planet. He created a modular glass water bong system that allows users to customize their setup while emphasizing eco-friendly materials, recyclable packaging, and a reforestation program that plants a tree for every module sold. By blending design, social entrepreneurship, and environmental responsibility, Gordon aims to inspire a greener, more conscious future.

What inspired you to launch VITAE Glass, and how did your background and vision shape the company’s founding?

The idea came to me in the shower, literally. I was trying to clean my bong, and it wouldn’t even fit under the sink. I was frustrated with how hard glass was to clean, how fragile it was, and how limited the experience felt. If you wanted different effects or styles, you had to buy multiple pieces, and even then, none of them truly felt yours.

That sparked the idea: What if a bong could evolve with you? What if you could take it apart so it’s easy to clean and customize it for your session? My background was neither in design or business, it was in real estate. But I always had ideas for inventions that’s rooted in questioning the status quo and building smarter, more thoughtful solutions. That mindset shaped the foundation of VITAE Glass: modular, cleanable, customizable, and sustainable.

How does the modular design concept change the way people experience glass products compared to traditional bongs?

The modular design completely transforms the experience. Traditional bongs are one-size-fits-all and fixed in design, you get what you get. With our modular system, you’re free to build your perfect setup. Mix and match percs, adjust the height, dial in the airflow, and tailor the hit based on your tolerance, mood, or occasion.

The biggest change is cleaning. VITAE Glass pieces are designed to come apart in seconds and can be sealed with our first-of-its-kind cleaning caps. That means you can deep clean every section, quickly and painlessly, without worrying about breaking a big clunky piece. All pieces are around 6-8” tall, which makes shaking it even faster. This eliminates one of the biggest headaches in using glass.

It’s fun, personal, and a lot more practical. Once people experience it, they never want to go back.

What role does sustainability play in your overall mission, and how has the tree-planting initiative evolved so far?

Sustainability is the core of VITAE. From day one, I didn’t want to build just another profit-driven company. I wanted to create something that gave back, something that left the earth better than we found it.

We started by planting one tree for every module sold. Now we’ve evolved that mission: for every module, we plant a tree and fund the removal of one plastic bottle from the ocean. Our oceans matter just as much, and we wanted to tackle both.

As we grow, our impact grows too. The bigger we become, the more we can give back.

Beyond reforestation, what steps are you taking to reduce the environmental footprint of your products and packaging?

We’ve approached sustainability from every angle. Our packaging is 100% recyclable, made from recycled materials, and completely plastic-free. Our corks are made from recycled cork. We use bamboo in our rings and caps, a fast-growing renewable material, and every component we design is intended for long-term, multi-use purposes. Nothing is meant to be thrown away after unboxing.

We’ve even made our shipping 100% carbon neutral by supporting carbon offset programs.

Our latest initiative is focused on eliminating plastic from the product itself. Eventually, we aim to transition to hemp-based components. Sustainability isn’t a checkbox for us, it’s a commitment we’re constantly working to improve.

In what ways do design and customization influence the relationship users have with their glass pieces?

When users build their own setup, choosing the number of chambers, the percolators, the rings, and the style, it becomes more than just a bong. It becomes a reflection of who they are.

Every VITAE piece is built for you, by you. Whether you prefer smoother hits, bigger clouds, or specific filtration, your piece adapts to you. It even extends to visual personality, people pick ring colors that match their vibe, and often name their pieces because of that deeper connection.

That sense of ownership is powerful. It makes users take more pride in their glass, and in turn, they care for it more. It’s functional, but also sentimental.

How do you see innovation in glass design shaping the broader cannabis culture and lifestyle?

Glass design has barely changed in decades, aside from the rise of intricate heady pieces, which are more art than everyday use. We wanted to revolutionize function.

Our modular system allows glass components to be interchanged with ease. Our cleaning caps allow effortless sealing, making cleaning a breeze. We believe these should be industry standards moving forward.

Cannabis is evolving, and the tools we use should reflect that. Innovation in glass can bring cannabis into the modern era, making it more practical, sustainable, and accessible to a wider audience. It’s not just about getting high anymore, it’s about the experience, the ritual, and the lifestyle around it.

VITAE describes itself as blending entrepreneurship and philanthropy—how do you balance profitability with social impact?

We prioritize social impact first, even when it cuts into profit. That’s been our ethos from day one.

It’s a harder road sometimes, but it’s the right one. Whether it’s choosing more expensive eco-materials, skipping manufacturers who don’t align with our values, or investing in tree-planting and ocean cleanup, we do it because it’s who we are.

Of course, it’s a challenge, you have to make decisions that might cost more upfront, but over time, they pay off in the strength and authenticity of the brand.

At the end of the day, we believe that doing good and doing business can go hand in hand

What challenges did you in building a product that emphasizes both craftsmanship and sustainability?

There were, and still are plenty of challenges. One big one was finding manufacturers who shared our values. Many wouldn’t meet our standards for sustainability, which really limited our options.

We also had to make sacrifices with certain packaging elements, especially our carry box. It would’ve been easier and cheaper to use plastic, bubble wrap or styrofoam, but we refused. That made our journey more complex, but it forced us to get creative.

Balancing high-end design with low-impact materials is not easy. But the result is something we’re truly proud of.

How do you see VITAE’s approach influencing the next generation of cannabis accessories and responsible businesses?

We hope to inspire more brands to see sustainability not as a trend, but as a responsibility.

The cannabis plant itself is green, our industry should be too. We are generally more inclined to be tree-huggers when we use the herb . We should care more about our impact, because if anyone understands the value of nature, it’s this community.

If we can influence just a few other companies to give back, reduce waste, and rethink their approach, we’ll consider that a win. It’s not just about profit, it’s about legacy.

What’s next for VITAE Glass—are there new designs, collaborations, or sustainability projects you’re most excited about?

There’s so much coming down the pipeline. We just released our new dab line, which has been getting great feedback. Next up is our freezer module line, something we’re really excited about.

We’re also collaborating with Empire Glassworks and working on future attachments compatible with Puffco. We’re exploring partnerships with local artists to bring a limited-run, heady-style pieces to our modular system.

On the sustainability front, we’re doubling down on tree-planting and ocean cleanup, and continuing to improve our material sourcing. Our goal is to launch new designs every 4–6 months, while always staying true to the values that built this company.

Thank you for the great interview. Readers who wish to learn more are encouraged to visit VITAE Glass.