In recent years, with micro trends and fast fashion at an all time high, the Stanley water bottle craze comes as no surprise to many. These cups have become so popular that they have begun to serve as status symbols, especially among younger owners.
Multiple parents on TikTok and other social media platforms have gone viral for speaking out against the trend, stating that their children have gotten bullied for not owning a Stanley, or even for just having one in the “wrong” color.
The Stanley bottle is not the first water bottle to become a nationwide trend, and it is unlikely that it will be the last, considering the trends of Yeti and Hydro Flask. What is so concerning about this trend, however, is how consumed people have become by it. People are now using something once used only to carry drinks to signify wealth and superiority- so much so that young kids are now getting tormented for not owning one.
A mother has recently spoken out against the trend, stating that her nine year old daughter has gotten bullied by her classmates for not owning a real Stanley cup. The sad reality is that most households in America can’t afford to buy the branded bottle, which costs at least 35 dollars. This was the case with Dayna Motycka’s family, who opted for a simple Walmart bottle for their daughter instead. Thus, one can understand why it would be so shocking to a family when their young daughter comes home upset, distressed that she doesn’t own a ‘cute’ water bottle.
The craze for the Stanley cups has even gone so far that people stand outside in the dead of night, waiting in line to purchase the bottle in its newest color. Yelling and verbal fights over the bottles have become common, and even physical altercations have broken out. In fact, a woman was arrested on January 17th for stealing over $2500 worth of Stanley cups from a retail store, having driven off with them in her car.
Although many agree that this mania has gone too far, some might argue that the struggle is worth the reward, and that the bottle is worth every penny. It’s hard to refute the evidence that the bottle is of good quality, yet it’s also undeniable that the impact of buying one isn’t worth the quality it provides. Buying the Stanley not only adds to the consumerism craze the brand does nothing to stop, but also supports the brand's unethical production line, which is based in China.
Moreover, the entire concept of water bottle trends is paradoxical- the entire point of buying an expensive reusable water bottle is that it is going to last and be repeatedly used. The Stanleys, however, are likely to quickly become obsolete, just as other water bottle brands have. One of the most significant reasons why these trends occur is that most buy the bottles for their aesthetic value, and not their durability or function.
“If you're not reusing your cup, or tumbler, or bottle over and over again, if you're just buying the new one…it's not really doing its job. It's not being reused, and that creates a lot of waste, too,” stated Faran Savitz, an environmental advocate who works with PennEnvironment. “So we want to be careful that when we get something reusable, we're actually reusing it.”
Another question this recent trend begs is the matter of conformity. With hundreds of thousands of people now owning this bottle, where is the individuality? Social media has convinced thousands of young, impressionable children that they need this bottle, when in reality it doesn’t possess any outstanding characteristics. When children begin to get bullied for owning a different brand of water bottle than most, it says something about society and how materialism is forced upon people at such a young age.
This bottle should serve as both a reminder and a warning to all that what may appear as a harmless trend may really be a larger issue of conformity and mass consumerism. More than ever before, it is crucial to be mindful of our choices as consumers and to keep in mind those it might affect.