Some people might think Zero Waste is all or nothing but it’s not. It’s a journey to reduce your impact and environmental footprint by producing less waste and consuming more responsibly. Just try, every little bit counts. You can make a difference. It doesn’t need to be one abrupt change. Start small and work your way up.
An easy place to start and a basic low waste staple is the water bottle. Disposable plastic bottles are always near the top of the top 10 finds on coastal and beach cleanups.
First, use what you have. If you have a water bottle, use that water bottle until it becomes unusable. That or pass it on to someone in need. You may wan’t to replace your bottle if it is made of questionable plastic or is lined with BPA.
Second, if you don’t have a water bottle, plastic free is the way to go! Stainless Steel or glass are my favourites. Buy quality, something that will last. Something that you truly like, something you won’t forget at home and that you will be happy carrying around.
Also, look to see if they have replacement caps or parts in case something breaks or is lost. It will last much longer if you can fix the problem.
Working together, we can all make a difference in reducing plastic use. Are you ready to live a more sustainable lifestyle, make the switch today. Choose reusables over disposables.
Still not convinced or still tempted by disposables? Read the sad facts below from the top 10 items found on coastal and beach cleanups, Already know them? Skip ahead to the best stylish and sustainable water bottles.
Reality check
A million plastic bottles are bought every minute! This could increase by 20% by the end of 2021.
Most of them are water bottles. People often think it’s better quality but more often than not, it’s only tap water.
20,000 bottles are bought around the world every second!
Fewer than half of the bottles are collected for recycling and just 7% of those collected were turned into new bottles. Instead most plastic bottles produced end up in landfills, waterways or the ocean.
According to research, by 2050 the ocean will contain more plastic by weight than fish.
The Best Stylish and Sustainable Water Bottles
S’well
The OG of stylish stainless steel water bottles; probably the most copied water bottle ever made. As far as I can tell, they were the game changer from camping and outdoorsy water bottles to a coveted water bottle seen the world over in all circles.
Insulated, sleek, and down-right functional. I received a S’well bottle as a gift and it has been a favourite of mine. Say goodbye to disposables and hello to reusables. Combining functionality with style, these insulated water bottles make it easy for you to live without plastic water bottles.
They have an extensive line of bottles, mugs, tumblers and food storage. Stays cold for 48 hours and hot for 24.
Their combination of form and function has reduced single use plastic the world over.
Sad to know they are being copied and counterfeited endlessly. Support the original.
They are also a certified B Corp and give back to many charities.
- Stainless Steel
- Double wall
- Many styles and sizes
- Many colours and designs
- Different cap options
- replaceable caps
- More affordable or kid friendly options S’ip by S’well
- swell.com
Klean Kanteen
Klean Kanteen is a family and employee owned business that is trying to make the world a better place. They are a member of 1% for the Planet. As well, they are a certified B Corp and also certified Climate Neutral.
Beautiful in its simplicity, the Stainless Steel Klean Kanteen is deliberate in its design. The Reflect model took the original Classic and made it a plastic free, paint free.
It’s crafted using just three materials: sustainably harvested bamboo, stainless steel, and food-grade silicone. The full stainless bamboo cap looks great and is replaceable. The full stainless steel interior keeps your water and other favourite beverages tasting great. The logo is laser engraved and the bottom is embossed to keep the bottle paint free.
The Reflect is available in a couple of sizes and comes in insulated or single wall. It’s a fantastic zero waste option. They also have a wide range of reusable products to help keep disposables at bay.
Clean Kanteen has been directly involved in plastic reduction. For example, they have worked with music festivals supporting them with Stainless Steel tumblers instead of disposable plastic cups.
- Stainless Steel
- Single or Double wall
- 3 materials only
- Bamboo and Stainless replaceable cap
- Many other styles of bottles and caps
- Kid friendly options
- kleankanteen.com
Hydro Flask
The rugged yet stylish Hydro Flask water bottles are ready for any adventure. Built for the roughest conditions but good looking enough for any environment.
All water bottles have a modern design and are made of Stainless Steel. Some are Stainless Steel all the way to the replaceable cap.
The double wall insulation can protect temperature for hours. Cold drinks stay icy cold and hot drinks stay piping hot.
A good quality bottle that can stand the test of time. They have lots of different options to match your lifestyle. The product line is more than just water bottles and can help you with many other reusable goals.
Hydro Flask supports non-profit organizations focused on building, maintaining, restoring, and providing better access to parks.
- Stainless Steel
- Double wall
- Many styles and sizes
- Many colours and designs
- Replaceable caps
- Kid friendly options
- hydroflask.com
Purist
These bottles are clean, sleek and minimalist. Not only do they look good they are also high quality. They have done an amazing job mixing form and function.
Dislike that metal taste when drinking from a water bottle? Purist uses stainless steel with an interior glass finish to ensure you’ll be having the freshest, purest water.
The double wall insulated Purist bottles keep your drinks hot for 12 hrs and cold for 24 hrs.
They have three clean and classy sizes and three different replaceable cap options. Minimalist design at it’s best, it’s everything you need and nothing more.
Colour options are bare Stainless Steel with a nice range of muted colours to match your style.
Purist Collective partners with community-based organizations to generate awareness and empower social and environmental change.
- Stainless Steel
- Interior glass finish
- Double wall
- 3 styles and sizes
- Stylish colour options
- 3 different replaceable caps
- puristcollective.com
Byta
Byta was started to change the way we drink on the go. To stop throwing away so many cups and bottles. To carry something you love. To help change habits and give back. To be an organization that makes a difference for our planet.
The Byta bottle is a double wall, vacuum sealed Stainless Steel bottle made to take with you wherever you go.
Each byta bottle includes a replaceable screw on wooden cap with a silicone carry ring.
Byta is proud to support Ocean Conservancy and its conservation initiatives.
- Stainless Steel
- Double wall
- 2 sizes and multiple colours
- Replaceable wooden cap
- mybyta.com
Soma
Drinking from glass isn’t just enjoyable, it’s responsible. Because glass can be recycled forever, you are helping to eliminate the single-use plastic that is wreaking havoc on our oceans.
The Soma glass water bottle is beautifully designed and thoughtfully crafted. You break it? They replace it.
It has a soft touch silicone handle and sleeve. The sustainable bamboo lid is replaceable with the option of a sports cap. Between the sports version and and the more traditional one, there are many colour options.
Soma contributes and collaborates with a nonprofit partner charity to bring safe drinking water to the global community.
- Glass bottle
- Silicone sleeve
- 2 styles in many colours
- Bamboo lid
- Sports cap option
- drinksoma.com
JOCO
The stylish and simple Joco bottle has been designed for a lifetime of use. This reusable glass bottle Is a good choice for you and the planet.
The Joco bottle is artisan blown from high-grade borosilicate glass and features a naturally antibacterial olive wood lid & velvet touch non-slip grip for a refined drinking experience. The anti-slip is translucent and a pleasure to touch.
An Olive wood cap finishes off this certified non-toxic, stain and odour resistant bottle.
Every Joco purchase contributes directly to the retrieval of toxic plastic debris from the environment. In partnership with Take 3 for the Sea.
- Glass bottle
- Translucent velvety grip
- 1 style, 3 colours
- Olive wood cap
- jococups.com
bkr
Reduce your plastic use with one of bkr’s fashionable glass bottles. Their slogan is ” fuck les bouteilles en plastique” French for “make love to plastic bottles”. Just kidding, it’s “screw plastic bottles”, pardon my french.
The silicone protective sleeve comes in multiple colours and can either be a smooth or spiked grip. Some of the sleeves are translucent and stickers on the glass show through.
Stay hydrated and enjoy the taste of water out of one of three sizes available. In the unfortunate event where the glass breaks you can recycle it and simply replace only the glass bottle.
Two different styles of replacement caps are also available. bkr’s clever silicone ice trays allow you to easily fit ice cubes in their bottles. Keeping your drinks icy cold.
- Glass bottle
- 2 types of silicone sleeve: spiked or smooth
- Many different colours
- 2 types of replaceable cap: compact or standard
- mybkr.com
In conclusion,
Make one small adjustment to your daily routine to start making a difference. Reduce your impact and environmental footprint with one of these stylish and sustainable water bottles.
Start with an easy one. Your journey from disposables to reusables will be a pleasure with these long lasting products.
Which one should you choose, that is up to you. Your style, your choice.
I am sure I have missed many other great reusable bottles. Do you use a different one? Do you have a favourite? Leave a comment or drop me a line.
Stay hydrated and thanks for reading. Please share on your socials or even better, subscribe below for regular updates.
Cheers, Pat
Pat is a Ski Patroller/Avalanche Technician with a keen interest in design and sustainable living due to a longtime passion for the outdoors. Seeing glaciers melt, seasons change, summer skies full of smoke and beach pollution first hand, motivate him to make a difference.
As Yvon Chouinard Founder of Patagonia says “If you are not part of the solution, you are still part of the problem”.