From Hydroflasks to Stanleys: How hydration became a lifestyle

Walk into any campus, office, or gym and you’ll see them: bright Owalas, sleek Stanleys, and every brand in between. What was once a simple tool to quench thirst has become a must-have accessory that signals style, identity, and a surprising obsession with hydration in everyday life. For today’s teens, water bottles aren’t just about staying hydrated; they’re about staying on trend. Whether it’s a pastel Stanley spotted in every hallway or a Hydroflask decorated with stickers, these bottles represent more than function. 

History of the bottle hype

The popularity of reusable water bottles has grown exponentially over the years, all the while being intensely marketed. The first brand to blow up was Nalgene, used primarily by hikers and campers because of its environmental friendliness. Next was CamelBak, popular with mountain bikers and even used in the military. Then, arguably the biggest blow-up of them all: Hydroflask. Hydroflasks went viral in 2019 during the Quarantine, and were most popular with teen girls. Some recent trendy brands are Stanley, Owala, and Hydrojug that have ridden the wave of water bottle popularity. Even with so many options to choose from, teenagers still flock to the brands they find trendy. Out of 42 teens who responded to a Google Form that I put on my story, 88% female and 12% male, a whopping 90.5% of them responded that they did bring a water bottle to school with them. Out of those 42, 7 people said they currently use a Hydroflask, 17 people said they use an Owala, and 7 said Stanley. Social media, particularly TikTok, was the top reason that influenced their purchase.

Why are reusable bottles so popular?

Several factors have played a role in driving the craze: social media, marketing, wellness culture, fashion, and increased awareness towards sustainable living. “I think it has kind of turned into an accessory, in a way, because people are promoting health and hydration so much that water bottles got thrown in the mix,” Blair sophomore Helen Horowitz comments. Social media plays a huge role in fueling the obsession. Teens see influencers and peers showing off their water bottles, making them status symbols as much as practical items. Brands market them as part of a “clean,” eco-conscious lifestyle, which appeals to teens who care about image and sustainability. 

The health appeal behind the craze

Even Blair’s health and yoga teacher, Chelsea Davis, has a favorite water bottle. “I think I fell for the marketing of the water bottle [Stanley], I like that it keeps my water cold pretty much all day,” Davis says. When asked about her opinions on the obsession with health and wellness in this generation, Davis said, “I think it's really good that there are so many people out there that are showing their wellness routines and sparking this wellness craze…it's really bringing to light what a healthy lifestyle can look like. I do think on the negative side, that it can show unrealistic lifestyles of people, and not everyone is certified to be saying all the things that they're saying.”

Additionally, Erica Rupar, a pediatrician at Children First Pediatrics in Silver Spring, is very knowledgeable about the health and hydration aspect of this ongoing water bottle trend. “I’m sure a lot of kids feel like they want to have the latest thing and be like their friends, or maybe they have goals to drink more water and feel like the right water bottle will make them want to do it.” Rupar said. “At the very root, the teen years are a time when most kids are working to discover who they are, what their values are, and who they want to be. It is an unsettling time and can be a time of low self-esteem, which leads to a desire to conform to what their peers and role models are doing,” Rupar commented.

Blazer opinion

So, do Blazers have that same desire to conform? It’s safe to say that water bottles have hit schools hard, and Blazers have fully embraced this trend. It’s not hard to spot a reusable water bottle when you’re walking down the halls. Blair junior Kiran Durvasula brings a Stanley to school, and not just because she likes to stay hydrated. “I love my water bottle because it keeps my water cold the entire day,” Durvasula says. “However, I don’t think it’s the most practical, just because it’s so large, but I really like having it with me at all times, because the water here is really gross.” Blair’s drinking fountains are sometimes a contributing factor to students bringing their own water bottles to school, like Durvasula. “A lot of times, I have to look around the school for a water fountain whose filter is green to refill my water bottle. If it’s yellow or red, I won’t drink it because I just think that’s gross,” sophomore Avery Coor said. 

The consumerism behind the trend

Despite being introduced as a sustainable alternative, aggressive marketing has turned them into trendy accessories that are continually being replaced, therefore adding to the same problem they were meant to solve—overconsumption. AP Environmental Science teacher, Courtney Mason, also follows the hydration trend by bringing a water bottle to school every day, drinking around 64 ounces a day. “Having your own reusable water bottle reduces plastic being in our trash stream, and it’s a more sustainable practice for having water,” Mason says. “However, I think it depends on these trends. Like if you’re buying a new water bottle just because you think it’s pretty even though you already have one, I’m not sure how much that’s helping the environment.”  

The teen water bottle craze is about more than just hydration; it’s a reflection of identity, social belonging, and conscious consumption. What began as a push for sustainability has turned into a form of self-expression—extending beyond the classroom, sport practices and social media feed. The reusable bottle obsession shows how even small habits can define a generation. 

Kiran Durvasula is a staff writer for Silver Chips Print.