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ZLand base unit with (from left to right) one, two, and three attached ZColors pods. Photo credit: ZLab
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Up to 3 ZColors pods with different flavors can be stacked on to a ZLand base unit and enjoyed simultaneously. Photo credit: ZLab
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Waker base device with inserted pod. Photo credit: Waker
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20ml prefilled Waker pod. Photo credit: Waker
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Waker pod available with either 10ml or 2ml prefilled e-liquid, the maximum filling limit in certain jurisdictions, for example the EU, where e-liquid containers must not exceed 2ml. Photo credit: Waker
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Fumytech’s Ultimate Hookah Dock. Photo credit: Fumytech
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Fumytech’s Ultimate Hookah Dock hooked up with 2 Hookah Air units. Photo credit: Fumytech
The latest generation of modular gadgets finally delivers where previous generations failed.
Fancy a vaping session during which you can create your personal flavor mix by simply stacking two or several e-liquid tanks on top of one another? Or how about enjoying a traditional shisha without the molasses mess, but instead a compact click-on e-liquid or heated tobacco pod? Well, if you walked exhibition floors with inquisitive eyes in the past 10 years or so, you would occasionally have stumbled across such gadgets. The problem was that while they sounded like a fantastic idea, technologically and taste-wise they rarely delivered. They were curious novelties and little else. Yet highly motivated designers continued wrapping their minds around overcoming the technical and sensory challenges that seemed so inherent.
1,000 ways that won’t work
It is said that, back in the 1920s, a nosy journalist asked Thomas Alva Edison why it had taken him a thousand failed attempts before he could finally come up with the first functional light bulb. Edison allegedly replied, “I will not say I failed 1,000 times. I will say that I found 1,000 ways that won’t work.” The point is that a great idea rarely transforms into functional reality at once. Gifted innovators learn from their own mistakes as much as they do from those of others who tried to tackle the very same problem before them, and then they build on it. That also holds true when it comes to the aforementioned gadgets. The Edisonian spell of “1,000 ways that won’t work” seems to have been broken with the latest generation of modular e-devices that are now making their way into markets.
ZLab: a versatile entrepreneur’s latest venture
Brazilian national Victor Shelton has been a passionate entrepreneur for years, founding several companies. Among his most notable ventures was Pay2Go, one of Brazil’s first food delivery fintech companies. His accumulated experience in startups paved the way for Shelton’s next big adventure, the foundation of ZLab in 2015, an e-smoking firm that would eventually result in the creation in late 2022 of ZLand and ZColors, the basic vaping device and its clickable and stackable e-liquid pods, respectively. Having secured patents in 65 countries, the system was first launched in June 2024 at a trade show.
Bringing true innovation: ZLand and ZColors
To manufacture Zland and ZColors, Shelton set up Shenzhen Yibo Technology Co. Ltd. in Guangdong, China, which Shelton today heads as chief executive officer. “The creation of ZLand was driven by the desire to bring true innovation to the vaping industry and offer consumers something genuinely new and exciting,” Shelton revealed to Tobacco Asia. “We had long noticed that many vaping enthusiasts were growing bored with the repetitive offerings available at local shops. While there wasn’t a shortage of new vaping products appearing on the market, many felt it was always more of the same… a non-ending variety of gimmicks, but which didn’t enhance the actual vaping experience.”
Understanding this, Shelton and his dedicated team of top IP experts, product designers, engineers, and chemical scientists brought forth a revolutionary product that prioritized maximum consumer freedom and personalization. The centerpiece of what Shelton likes to call “an evolving ecosystem,” the ZLand base device, features a 1,200 mAh battery and allows users to click on to it up to three prefilled ZColors pods.
All market requirements covered
For markets like Canada and the US, ZColors currently comprises a total of 56 flavors (in 10ml pods), while for the EU there are 51 flavors prefilled in TPD-compliant 2ml pods. For jurisdictions with flavor bans, the lineup consists of 5 “characterizing” tobacco options alongside a flavorless variant. To address diverse consumer preferences while also being compliant with individual market regulations, the ZColors range is available in nicotine concentrations of 0mg, 10mg, 20mg, and 50mg. Making use of the full 56-flavor range, consumers can create over 125,000 unique flavor combinations when deploying the described 3-pod configuration, Shelton calculated. It is an unprecedented level of customization in the vaping world.
Stack them up!
The selected ZColors pods are stackable and magnetically connect to the ZLand base. “The tactile feel and the satisfying click of the connecting parts were designed to resemble a high-end tech device rather than a typical vaping product,” Shelton said. Users can even activate a “boost mode” for an extra kick of a particular flavor of their choice from among the three stacked pods. “In essence,” explained Shelton, “the system not only enhances the vaping experience through superior technology and design but also empowers users with unparalleled flexibility and personalization, making it a truly innovative solution.”
Impressive support infrastructure
Of course, launching the system across diverse markets came with its set of challenges in an industry where product saturation is the norm. However, ZLab’s strategic global footprint has been instrumental in overcoming these hurdles. With offices in key regions including the US, Canada, the UAE, UK, Indonesia, and South Korea alongside state-of-the-art laboratories and manufacturing facilities in China and the UAE, Shelton succeeded in building an impressive infrastructure that supports rapid adaptation and compliance with local regulations. “We now manage our own distribution centers and commercial offices across major markets, a move that has not only streamlined our logistics but also enhanced our responsiveness to market-specific challenges,” he explained.
A lofty ultimate goal
The plan is to also introduce the game-changing system in Italy and Spain by mid-2025, where Shelton just recently opened new offices. Beyond that, it is Shelton’s objective to achieve widespread availability throughout Europe by the end of the year. “This expansion aligns with our broader vision of becoming the largest independent e-cigarette player in the world outside of ‘Big Tobacco’,” he enthused. To support that ambitious goal, he said the company was scaling production capacity as well as strengthening its global commercial network, most recently with a new office in the UK.
Waker: bridging the gap between tradition and innovation
E-shishas have been around for almost as long as vapes, but they always were some-what cumbersome, with occasionally bulky and time-consuming set-ups. And yes, they often were only a poor substitute for the real thing. But all of that changed almost in an instant with the appearance of the “Waker” system, courtesy of China’s legendary Yooz Group. Waker was born to bridge the gap between tradition and innovation, offering portability, consistency, and eco-consciousness without compromising the authentic shisha experience and revolutionizing it,” said Waker c.e.o., John Cai. “In a sense,” he added, “Waker modernizes the time-honored shisha ritual by introducing portability, precision, and sustainability in an effort to ‘awaken’ the market to a new era, where convenience meets authentic flavor and balances global adaptability, with uncompromising quality.”
Tailored to meet all regulatory standards
The Waker system comprises a USB-C quick-rechargeable (30 min.) base device with a long-lasting 4,800mAh battery and prefilled pods in a broad range of flavors that are simply inserted into the device’s recess. The base device itself fits any conventional shisha. Yet Waker is by no means a “one-size-fits-all” solution. Instead, the system is tailored to meet the regulatory standards of each market, whether that is adjusted nicotine limits, battery power outputs, or raw materials.
“For example, our EU-compliant pods feature lower wattage settings, while Middle Eastern variants prioritize bold flavor intensity,” said Cai. Waker’s StableFlavor™ core with its proprietary coil and temperature control ensures consistent heating and prevents oxidation, keeping flavors rich and stable. Once the base unit has been plugged on to a shisha top and a pod has been inserted, it becomes operational. “The is no need to push an ‘on’ button or adjust any setting. The system is fully automatic,” he said.
Another cornerstone of the Waker system is its portability. “We’ve condensed the essence of traditional shishas into a sleek, travel-friendly design without sacrificing session length,” Cai pointed out. This makes Waker ideal for on-the-go use while remaining compliant with aviation and safety regulations. For session in commercial venues such as shisha bars, the pods also come in staggered filling sizes from 12ml to 20ml, which allow for continuous use from 3 to 6 hours. Deploying one of the compact pods is a simple as magnetically attaching it to any conventional shisha bowl and pressing the “on” button.
Redefining shisha culture… around the world
Waker had its pre-launch in Dubai in January 2025 and is going to become gradually available in the other emirates as well. But the groundbreaking system’s official launch was in Germany in April 2025, again with plans to eventually also expand across further EU markets. A roll-out in the UK followed shortly after the Germany launch, while in June or so Waker is expected to debut in Saudi Arabia.
“Launching Waker as a pioneering brand in this industry was a bold step, as we blended tradition with modern feasibility and economic sustainability,” said Cai. “We are committed to delivering carefully crafted flavors that resonate with diverse regional tastes, from Middle Eastern spice flavor enthusiasts to European fruit flavor lovers. Our focus remains on innovation, quality, and sustainability, staying true to our core values while adapting to global market needs. This journey is just beginning, and we are excited to redefine shisha culture responsibly,” he said.
Fumytech Hookah Air for a travel-friendly shisha experience
Another Chinese outfit, Clouds Community Technology Co. Ltd., which has long been focusing on developing e-shisha products under its Fumytech brand, in 2023 launched its trailblazing Hookah Air. The device has its own inbuilt 3,200mAh rechargeable battery to be used on the go. Yet it is lightweight (137g) and small enough (33mm x 169mm) to comfortably fit into a sling-on travel bag. The original all-black Hookah Air has since been supplemented with numerous decorative patterns (arabesques, skull art, or teddy bears, anyone?), including several limited editions. But Hookah Air’s perhaps biggest advantage is that it produces a fuller and longer lasting vapor when compared to similar e-shishas, claimed Fumytech general manager Ryan Chou. The Hookah Air is presently available in selected Middle Eastern markets, as well as in Russia, Korea, the US, UK, and France, according to Chou. An even smaller Hookah Air Mini and a Hookah Air II (with further improved vaporization) are anticipated to be released in the second half of 2025.
The Ultimate Hookah Dock: as good as it gets
And with the launch of Fumytech’s Ultimate Hookah Dock – announced for mid-May, so it may already be out when this issue of Tobacco Asia goes to press - the Hookah Air experience is set to become even more authentic. Enormously stylish in design, the Ultimate Hookah Dock in essence resembles a classical shisha arrangement, including a borosilicate glass base that can be filled with water. The dock can be used with 2 Hookah Air units simultaneously and color-wise initially comes in tiffany blue, ivory white, or mica black. Of course, where a traditional shisha’s neck and coal/tobacco tray would be, the Ultimate Hookah Dock’s water bowl is instead crowned by a futuristic-looking appendix that holds the Hookah Air connector tubes, a drawing unit and an additional battery for prolonged smoking sessions.
Entering the next dimension of flavor experimenting
Even better: if two different-flavored Hookah Airs are connected, the dock will homogeneously mix their flavors for both users to enjoy an entirely new taste experience. And with the roll-out of yet another brand-new Fumytech gadget, the Vapo Air, planned for later this year, flavor experiments involving the Ultimate Hookah Dock will enter yet another dimension. That is because Vapo Air was specifically developed for use with cannabis. “Then you can potentially mix a cannabis preparation coming from Vapo Air with a conventional e-liquid flavor coming from the Hookah Air,” explained Chou. Now… that will be interesting!