The Stanley cup, a seemingly ordinary water tumbler, became an unexpected cultural icon. For a while, it was the must-have accessory, gracing the hands of influencers, celebrities, and everyday consumers alike. But now, in 2024, the Stanley Cup trend has begun to decline.
Stanley's multi-colored insulated cups still have considerable cachet among teens, Piper Sandler says. At the same time, the brand's popularity may have peaked and is "on the way out," teens said in the firm's annual survey. Stanley now finds its cool factor somewhere between trend-forward Owala and mainstay Yeti.
A water bottle manufactured by a company that has been around for more than 100 years has become a cultural phenomenon. Stanley Tumblers are filling our social media feeds, and stories about the high demand for the popular quenchers are dominating the news cycle.
While Stanley says the lead used in the manufacturing process doesn't pose a health risk, some TikTokers have been posting videos throwing their cups away since questions about lead have been raised, and encouraging followers to as well.
TikTok was flooded with videos of people showing off their collections, each cup representing a different mood or season. But like many trends, the Stanley cup craze had a shelf life. By late 2023 and into 2024, the same consumers who once clamored for the latest limited edition were starting to move on.
Yeti: Which is better? ✔️ Weight and Feel: When directly comparing the two, I found that the 40-ounce Stanley cup feels lighter and slimmer than all of the Yeti tumblers with a built-in handle. In my experience, the Stanley lid is easier to put on and take off than the Yeti's, though it's a bit more involved to clean.
Stanley's 40-ounce Quencher cup gained rabid popularity for its candy-like array of colors and its ability to keep beverages hot and cold for long periods of time. Once the cups took off on social media, Stanley's annual sales reportedly jumped from $75 million to $750 million in 2023 alone.
According to LeSueur the cup isn't simply about a hydration trend among preteens, GenZ and millennials. “They're seeing this as an accessory, as a status symbol... It's also a statement as to what I show to the world [about myself] every day when I choose to get dressed, and when I choose to take my water bottle.”
The lawsuit alleges that Stanley and PMI misled customers because they did not warn consumers about the potential for exposure from damage to the vacuum seal and did not disclose how much lead is in each cup.
These factors — combined with Stanley's history as a durable, reliable brand, the aesthetic quality of the tumbler overall plus limited-edition drops (which create a sense of scarcity), and the influence of social media — have led to entire cupboards and even walls devoted to Stanley cup collections.
The Hydro Flask won this round as virtually no water leaked out of its straw top, while there was some definite leakage and splashage out of the Stanley straw opening and onto the top of the Stanley lid.
Classic black is one of Stanley's most sought-after colors for its tumblers. It's available in all of the Quencher sizes.
Stanley's ascent on platforms like TikTok is a testament to the power of authentic, user-generated content. When influencers and everyday users alike shared their genuine love for the brand, Stanley cups didn't just become popular; they became a part of people's identities.
Why are Stanley cups so popular? Much of its popularity comes from its large size and its ability to keep drinks cold for hours.
Stanley's are definitely not going out of style anytime soon. They are everywhere and almost everyone owns one. They feel like a necessity for daily living for me. I was hooked in February of this year and got rid of my owala as I just wouldn't use it after using the Stanley 40oz.
In a TikTok that has been viewed well over 3 million times, Casey Lewis, a trend researcher and founder of the trend newsletter “After School,” explains that the Stanley tumbler is “over” as an “it-accessory.” She says that it's due to two segments of consumers becoming interested in the Quenchers: millennial moms and ...
Women aged 35 to 44 are typically 98 percent of Stanley cup buyers. However, the age demographic has recently dipped rapidly to women in their 20s and teens. This is a dramatic shift: for generations, Stanley products were marketed primarily to construction workers and outdoorsmen (the “Manley cup” as some have said).
A “dupe” is a duplication of something popular, often manufactured to sell to the same market as the original product. A Stanley dupe is a similar-looking tumbler, cup, or mug that claims to have similar features to that of a Stanley cup. Typically, people look for dupes when they are trying to save money.
The original bear symbol was born from the folklore of the Stanley brand, a recurring character in many of the stories we hear from our community. He made his debut with a crown that had lightning bolts around it as a nod to the inventor of the Stanley bottle, William Stanley, Jr.
If you've had trouble getting your hands on one, rest assured you're not the only one. Stanley tumblers—namely, the Quencher H2. 0 FlowState Tumbler—are so popular that they're difficult to keep in stock. Their sleek design and ability to keep drinks ice-cold for hours make customers just about froth at the mouth.
YETI's top competitors include Hidrate, S'well Bottle, and Stanley International. Hidrate focuses on promoting hydration and wellness and operates in the health tech industry.
The Stanley cup can leak, so if that's a dealbreaker for you, the BrüMate Era Tumbler is an excellent alternative. It was one of the best-tested tumblers during leak testing — though it's important to make sure that the straw is properly positioned to prevent leakage.
And Stanley isn't alone—many similarly designed flasks and tumblers are manufactured the same way using lead solder. On its website Stanley tells its customers, “Rest assured that no lead is present on the surface of any Stanley product that comes into contact with the consumer nor the contents of the product.”