The Cup Collection Obsession

Target is under attack! Stores are hosting swarms of people reminiscent of Black Friday, everyone lining up to get the new limited edition Stanley cup. Stanley 1913 has traditionally made high-quality tumblers known for their durability and use in activities like hiking. They have become a trendy collectible item to influencers, mirroring the cup-collecting trend as previously seen through hydroflasks and Starbucks tumblers. Many believe that, while a bit odd, this trend isn’t all that harmful.

Psychologically speaking, this collection can be considered unhealthy. While collecting for reasons of nostalgia and passion is known to be beneficial, water bottles serve neither purpose. This is part of a bigger trend of collecting for clout, which has been worsened by social media and influencer culture.

Saying Stanley collectors are obsessed is an understatement. One California 23-year-old was recently caught stealing 65 various Stanleys. The resale market has skyrocketed, everyone trying to get their hands on limited edition items to fill their collection. The company’s profits have multiplied exponentially, from a $75 million annual profit to a $750 million annual profit.

By tying one’s happiness to water bottles, people go chasing an expensive thrill. People are experiencing significant emotional stress because they can’t find a new bottle to keep up with the trend.

It is easy to justify the rise of water bottle collecting since it is a more sustainable alternative to plastic bottles. The problem is, people aren’t just buying one or two. Because of the collectible Stanley’s have become, people are buying more than they need, hence contributing to further waste. The process of creating these water bottles is more complicated than just making them.

The mining and manufacturing of stainless steel water bottles and tumblers use a lot of water and produce a lot of pollution. In the end, we typically see it is worth it when we aren’t using thousands of plastic bottles per year, but now, instead of replacing the use of plastic, they are simply collector items contributing to more waste.

Furthermore, people aren’t necessarily switching from plastic to Stanleys. The Hydroflask similarly saw great popularity in the past 5 years, gaining its fame during the VSCO girl craze. It is many of those same people who are now buying Stanleys, as their Hydroflasks, Yetis, Starbucks collectibles, and other water bottles waste away in storage. These water bottles aren’t completing their lifecycle, meaning more water bottles are being bought than are being used.

People are becoming so obsessed with these that their releases are causing public disturbances and inciting violence. People are being injured over cups that aren’t even leak-proof. While Stanley produces a range of water bottles, the ones that are gaining the most popularity are their Quenchers, which are tumblers with a tall straw. The second it is no longer right side up, it will start leaking. This means people can’t put it in their bags and instead carry it around all day without fear of spilling.

Nonetheless, people are buying them. But it isn’t just adults being affected by this. With more and more kids on social media, they are learning the lessons of consumerism early. Even elementary schools in this area are seeing fourth graders with $45 water bottles, a new symbol of status. This also means that kids whose parents aren’t willing to spend a ton of money on an inconvenient cup are being excluded, teaching them that buying a ton of stuff from social media makes you popular, and abstaining leaves you behind.

One influencer recently reported that her daughter, who had been really excited to bring the new Walmart tumbler she had picked out for Christmas to school, was made fun of, because it “wasn’t a real Stanley.” Her daughter then begged to get a Stanley instead, just so she could fit in. Obviously, the mom didn’t want her kid to be made fun of, so she caved to the pressures. This trend is making it even harder for parents, who now have to grapple with buying an overpriced status symbol or letting their kids be isolated. This influencer pointed out that while fortunately, she could afford it, other parents might not be able to.

Some reports are now showing that Stanleys may cause lead exposure. Part of the lid contains lead to help it seal properly, although it is enclosed in stainless steel. Some at-home lead tests are coming back positive, however, the company has released an official statement that there is no lead on the surface of the cups, which people are coming into contact with. The effects of lead poisoning are especially harmful to children, so parents should be advised. As of now, though, Stanleys are EPA-compliant for lead.

Social media trends aren’t always harmless. Sometimes, when something as simple as a water bottle becomes a trend, it results in a panic over who can collect the most stuff, regardless of any effects.