Celebs love them. Social influencers love them. Regular people love them. High-end water bottles are having a major social moment, and it’s not just because brands like S’well, Hydroflask, bkr and Bobble have turned a purely functional item into a desirable fashion accessory. These bottles are helping to save the planet ― and millennials, in particular, can’t get enough.
At first glance, these aesthetically pleasing bottles might seem a bit excessive. Americans’ access to water is very inexpensive, if not free, while these decorative bottles will typically set you back between $30 and $50, even upwards of $100 depending on the size, availability and number of rhinestones.
Despite the price, business is booming. The global market for reusable water bottles, plain and fancy, is predicted to be worth $10 billion by 2024.
This is partially thanks to celebrities ― like Jennifer Garner, Reese Witherspoon, Emily Ratajkowski and Jenna Dewan ― who have been photographed with reusable bottles in the same way they were once photographed wearing Juicy Couture tracksuits and Dior Glossy sunglasses.
Bottles worth a second look have also become extremely popular with social media influencers. Whether those folks are working out, traveling, running errands or simply displaying makeup on a marble countertop, the bottles make an appearance.
But the biggest reason that pricey reusable water bottles have become a phenomenon may be the desire of millennials to buy products that help the environment. Seventy-three percent of millennials said they were willing to pay more for a sustainable product, according to the 2015 Nielsen Global Corporate Sustainability Report. And when it comes to reducing plastic waste, reusable bottles are a godsend.
Think about it like this: Humans are supposed to drink eight cups of water a day, right? If you were to drink that much water from standard plastic bottles, you’d go through four bottles per day, adding up to 1,460 per year per person. Switch to a reusable bottle and you’re generating a whole lot less plastic waste.
So while $50 for a bottle may still seem lavish, if you’re more likely to carry a fashionable bottle around with you, the cost-to-benefit ratio looks pretty good.