Stanley (drinkware company) facts for kids
 |
|
| Owner | HAVI |
|---|---|
| Introduced | July 8, 1915 |
| Markets | Worldwide |
| Previous owners |
|
| Tagline | Fueling life's adventures |
Stanley is an American brand that makes reusable containers for food and drinks. It is named after William Stanley Jr.. He invented the first all-steel insulated vacuum bottle in 1913.
The Stanley brand has been owned by different companies over the years. Today, it is owned by Pacific Market International (PMI). Stanley is well-known for its strong steel thermos flasks. Since 2020, its Stanley Quencher line of tumblers, also called Stanley cups, has become very popular.
Contents
History of Stanley
The First Stanley Thermos (1913–1965)
On September 2, 1913, William Stanley Jr. created something new. He patented the first all-steel vacuum flask. He got the idea from his work with transformers. He found a special welding method that could insulate a bottle with steel instead of glass.
Stanley's new bottle was first announced in a newspaper on July 8, 1915. Soon after, he started the Stanley Insulating Company. It was in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. He began making the bottles in large numbers.
William Stanley died in 1916 when he was 57. In 1921, another company bought Stanley's company. This was Landers, Frary & Clark from New Britain, Connecticut. They continued to make Stanley's insulated bottles. The Stanley thermos became famous for being very tough. It was the only all-steel thermos made until the mid-1960s. Stories say the United States army tested Stanley thermoses in World War I. They would drop them from airplanes and run them over with heavy vehicles. Stanley thermos flasks were also used by bomber pilots during World War II.
New Owners and Global Production (1965–2020)
In 1965, Aladdin Industries took over the Stanley product line. Later, in 2002, a company called Pacific Market International (PMI) bought the rights to Stanley products. PMI started making Stanley products in China.
Stanley introduced a new type of cup called the Adventure Quencher in 2016. At first, not many Quenchers were sold. The company even stopped making them for a short time in 2019. But after working with a women's blog called The Buy Guide, they sold 5,000 Quenchers. This led the company to start making them again. They began offering the Quencher in many more colors.
The Quencher became very popular. It helped Stanley's yearly sales grow a lot. Sales went from about $70 million in 2019 to an estimated $750 million in 2023. Because of successful marketing with online influencers, Stanley started focusing its marketing on women.
Growing Popularity and Partnerships (2020–present)
In 2020, Terence Reilly became the president of Stanley. He had previously worked for Crocs. Sales of Quenchers increased by 275% between 2020 and 2021. In November 2024, Stanley announced a partnership with footballer Lionel Messi. This was the brand's first time working with a professional athlete. This partnership brought out several new products. These included The Quencher ProTour Flip Straw Tumbler and High Precision Flow Mate System.
How Stanley Products Are Made
Most Stanley products are made in China. Some are also made in Brazil. When Aladdin Industries owned Stanley, most products were made in Nashville, Tennessee. In 2002, when Pacific Market International (PMI) bought the brand, production moved to China.
Safety of Stanley Products
Lead in Products
In January 2024, some customers found lead in their Stanley products. They used home lead tests. This made people wonder if the products were safe, especially for children.
Stanley said that lead is used in the manufacturing process. It is deep inside the product. But they stated that "once sealed, this area is covered with a durable stainless steel layer." This makes it "inaccessible to consumers." Stanley also said its products "meet all US regulatory requirements." Some other brands, like Owala and Hydro Flask, do not use lead in their drinkware.
Product Recall and Injuries
In December 2024, Stanley recalled about 2.4 million cups. This happened after 91 reports worldwide. These reports said the travel mugs' lids came off during use. This caused 38 burn injuries around the world. Eleven people needed medical help.
Stanley Products
The Quencher Cup
The Stanley Quencher (sometimes called Stanley cup) was released in 2016. It became very popular because of online marketing. Especially on social media sites like TikTok. Sales started to grow in 2019. In 2020, Terence Reilly joined Stanley as president. He worked with Ashlee LeSueur, who had found the Quencher in 2017. She loved the product and told her friends and followers about it. This made more people interested.
Because of this, the company decided to keep making the Quencher. They released it in more colors. By 2020, the Quencher became Stanley's best-selling product. It has stayed the top seller ever since. It is Stanley's most popular item among female customers. It helped Stanley's yearly sales increase greatly.
The Stanley Quencher is a special cup that keeps drinks hot or cold. It comes in different sizes. It has a straw that can be removed. It also has special insulation to keep drinks at the right temperature for a long time. It is available in many colors, including some special seasonal ones.
Other Stanley Products
Besides the Quencher tumblers, Stanley makes other products too. These include flasks, pint glasses, and different types of vacuum bottles. They also offer outdoor coolers, lunchboxes, and cooking sets for camping.
See also
- List of bottle types, brands and companies
- Aladdin (containers)
