Fuelled by the fight against plastic pollution, reusable water bottles are trending on social media; as Stanley cups become the latest must-have, questions about their true environmental impact are surfacing.

Launched into popularity with the VSCO girl trend back in 2014, Hydro Flasks once dominated the scene.

Now, Stanley bottles are basking in the media spotlight.

A TikTok video showing a New Year's Eve rush at Target for the “Galentines collection” Stanley cups recently went viral.

Similarly, the launch of the Starbucks x Stanley Quencher edition saw fans queueing in the early hours, braving the cold for over three hours in line, sparking a shopping frenzy.

In addition, influencers flaunt their Stanley collections online, accessorizing their tumblers to coordinate with their daily outfits.

Stanley's rise to social media fame, particularly through the #WaterTok trend since 2022, hinges on its unique selling points: compatibility with car cup holders and an easy-to-use straw with a handle.

This marketing savvy has propelled Stanley to achieve a revenue boost of $676 million from 2019 to 2023, according toCNBC.

But, what sets Stanley apart from other water bottles?

Beyond the extensive range of over 100 color options, the brand's evolution is marked by its shift from a working class focus to a target audience increasingly skewed towards the female demographic.

Yet, this surge in popularity brings to light a concerning trend: the over-consumption of "sustainable" products may not be as eco-friendly as presumed.

The cycle of "green" product releases and the ensuing consumer frenzy mirrors past phenomena like the tote bag trend. While intended to reduce plastic waste, these bags ultimately lead to mass collection with minimal reuse.

This behavior fundamentally contradicts the very core tenets of sustainability, prompting experts to weigh in.

According to Daniel Habesland, an expert in the plastic and material science department at the World Wildlife Fund, in order for Stanley cups to actually work in the way intended,which is to benefit the environment by cutting down the usage of plastics, consumers have to actually reuse them after buying.

However, most of the time, hoarding tumblers leads to just using it a couple of times, which doesn’t make any difference to using single use plastic bottles.

Furthermore, Myra Hird from Queen’s University adds another layer of complexity t on CBC news and points out that Stanley cups' steel, coated internally with plastic for insulation and externally with a polymer-based powder coat, complicates recycling for consumers.

This revelation underscores the need for mindful consumerism amidst the social media-driven trend.

While owning aesthetically pleasing, "sustainable" products like Stanley cups may appeal, their true environmental benefit hinges on active and prolonged use.

As Stanley cups gain media spotlight, the responsibility falls on consumers to critically assess their purchases' environmental impact.

Sustainability goes beyond mere collection; it demands genuine and consistent use of eco-friendly products.

Hanna Yein Cho

Grade 10

Yongsan International School of Seoul