Near a century ago, when cigarettes were mostly unfiltered, manufacturers rarely added special-purpose “beauty tips” for women – mouthpieces, usually made of cork and used to avoid tobacco flakes appearing on ladies’ tongue. Only in the early 1950’s, when scientific reports showed the risk of smoking, tobacco companies scrambled to produce massively cigarettes with filters.

Filters were initially designed to reduce tar and nicotine levels and generally make cigarette smoke more palatable and smooth. After more than 60 years of development, filter has become a highly sophisticated and complex filtration and ventilation device, having any imaginable length, diameter, and segmentation.

Paper was the first absorbing agent used in cigarette filters thanks to its excellent filtration properties. Unbleached paper filter will be prized by admirers of natural look products both cigarette and roll-your-own. Paper is an ideal solution for low tar cigarettes in double or triple segments versions. Such a filter is fully biodegradable.

The acetate filter is a market classic at its best. Processed acetate tow have a whole range of dimensions, ventilation and pressure drop levels, and provide performance ranging from very mild to full flavor.

The charcoal filter with activated carbon placed in a small cavity or dispersed among the filter tow was designed to reduce delivery of harmful volatile compounds. The absorbing effect is dependent on the contents of the charcoal present. Overall, the more charcoal amount the more performant filtration even by deep inhalation.

Flavor, mostly in form of pure menthol crystals on tow, flavored thread, or capsules added to the filter can modify unwanted aspects of smoke and add intense taste sensation. Capsules give more than double menthol delivery compared to other direct flavor application methods for the same initial menthol loading.

Tobacco giants together with filter makers are going on to develop the range to impress their customers. The recessed filter is designed to set slightly back from the mouth end. Recessed area allows to achieve a particular smoking perception. Another technology applied in a hollow filter: the tube is hollow until further down the filter tip.

Dual and triple filters, with various combination of charcoal, acetate, flavor or capsule, recessed or hollow segments make a wide variety of visual brand differentiation. Two capsules cigarettes with different surprising tastes –watermelon, apple, black tea, berry, pear, and many more – have gained significant prominence. In addition, shaped filters with a number of outer or inner shapes, different colors provide an ultimate tool to state the brand’s exclusivity.

In course of increasing legal restraints, those innovations allow cigarette manufacturers to fly level and make their brands to stick out from the competition.