What once were simple, everyday bottles have transformed into expressions of identity and a sense of belonging. How did this happen, and what will the future hold?
“OMG! Where did you get that Stanley from?” or “How did you get hold of this design Hydro Flask? It has been sold out for months.” These are now common phrases, you probably heard by eavesdropping or have been told yourself. However, these phrases weren’t used regularly. Over the last decade, simple reusable water bottles have become increasingly popular, with each generation wanting more and more of them. The craze for bottle consumption didn’t emerge overnight; it was a gradual process that suddenly surged.
THE OG BOTTLE
A reusable water bottle wasn’t always a common or household item. The OG water bottle wasn’t used for liquid consumption; it was first used to store various items while scientists went out in nature to collect items. With the bottle, they soon discovered that it could be used for personal use; thus, Nalgene was born in the late 1960s.
If you don’t know the brand by name, you’ll surely recognize the bottle shape and lid. Nalgene became popular, but it was particularly popular among the outdoor fitness community. Many consumers would use Nalgene for its leakproof bottle on hikes or any physical activities.
THE 2000s AND 2010s
After Nalgene, other reusable water bottle companies were founded and have been on a steady road in the market. If you needed a new water bottle because your old one isn’t good anymore, or you don’t own one, then buying one during the 80s- early 2000s would be a good idea. Wasn’t considered crazy or taboo; it is a necessary item.
It wasn’t until the late 2000s and early 2010s that owning a water bottle meant something. See, before, many people used the simple option of a single-use plastic water bottle. These bottles are made out of PET (Polyethylene terephthalate). It is easy to make these bottles, and they can be disposed of once the liquid is removed. It wasn’t until the mid-2000s that society became aware of the environmental harm caused by these bottles, as PET bottles produce a huge amount of plastic waste.
In the early 2010s, water bottle companies shifted from hard plastic bottles to more insulated steel bottles. This is when major reusable bottle companies got their big break, with companies like S’well and Hydro Flask. The difference between these two brands lies in their designs and the idea. Hydro Flask was started because the creator felt like no other bottles at the time kept his drink cold, and the ice melted too fast. These bottles would be considered bulkier than others. In contrast, S’weel was developed because its creator wanted a stylish bottle look when she would take it out in public; these bottles are slimmer.
In the late 2010s, social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok started a trend among predominantly young teenage girls known as the VSCO girl aesthetic. This subculture of girls was considered earth-friendly and a preppy type. Some necessities for achieving this look were a scrunchie on your wrist, Birkenstock slides, and the trusty Hydro Flask water bottle. The surge of consumerism is born here.
Having this bottle at the time meant you were a part of the community or the trend. Many people bought Hydro Flask because of the trend, but ended up using it the intended way. As more people buy them, another trend has emerged: decorating the bottles. Some ways to decorate were to add random stickers, put a silicone bumper at the bottom of the bottle, or hang a friendship bracelet from the handle.
This was the simple bliss, the calm before the conuserism bottle storm brewing in the future.
PRESENT AND FUTURE
I would describe the present as insanity or a bad hoarding issue.
Stanley Quencher bottles have sparked a consumerism trend. The reason this bottle first blew up is a little shaking, but the consensus is that many influencers started posting with the bottles and were sponsored by Stanley. The internet approved of this, and common everyday people began buying them. However, people would just buy one; they didn’t stop there; they would buy multiple at a time. It then became a trend to have all the cup colors and designs, as well as the collaborations they did with brands and celebrities.
WaterTok also came into the spotlight a couple of months later, during the craze. People would fill the Quencher halfway with water, then add all kinds of syrups and flavor packets to the mixture, and would label it, “My Water of the Day!” People would also showcase the amount of Stanley in the videos.
Having these bottles in different colors and designs gave people a sense of purpose or “status” in their lives. Note that many of these bottles are limited editions and have a limited stock at each store. So, having meant the person was considered “special” for being able to obtain it. This trend wasn’t just among adults and teens, but in children. In elementary school, students are expected by their peers to own a water bottle. Not just any water bottle, a Stanley Quencher. If the bottle was a “fake one”, a non-branded tumbler bottle, then kids were being bullied and not part of this social status.
Over the last week, a bottle, not a Stanley or an Owala, but a glass cup at Starbucks. Better known as the Glass Starbucks Bearista, became the current obsession. Bottle enthusiasts would wait outside Starbucks doors or drive-thru as early as 3 A.M. to be the first to buy a cup; this was nationwide. This cup sold out immediately, with people getting into fights over who should get the bear cup first or the Starbucks employees buying it for themselves. The resale price for the cup on eBay ranges from $270 to $50,000.
For the future, the water bottle influenza will die down, and something else will take its place to obsess over. For right now, just let the trend of conservatism take its course and watch as the trainwreck continues.