People are freaking out over Stanley tumblers containing lead — Owala and Hydro Flask are cleverly seizing the moment.

YETI HERE: https://amzn.to/3M9QKH6
STANLEY HERE: https://amzn.to/4dEGDWy
HYDROFLASK TUMBLER: https://amzn.to/3McAR2O

A side-by-side of a Stanley Cup and Hydro flask Travel Tumbler water bottle.

Yes, Stanley's insulated stainless steel cups contain lead.
Does it pose a safety risk? Experts say it doesn't, but public perception is a powerful force.
The increased concern presents a golden marketing opportunity for lead-free competitors to step up.

The news that Stanley's insulated stainless steel cups contain lead sparked a frenzy of concern on social media about the potential health risks for consumers.

Stanley acknowledged in a statement that it uses "an industry standard pellet" that contains "some lead" to seal the vacuum insulation of its tumblers. The seal is then covered with a layer of steel that makes it inaccessible to consumers under ordinary conditions.

Hydro Flask quickly pounced.

"There's a lot of conversation happening right now around lead. We want to assure you that Hydro Flask does not use lead in our vacuum sealing process," HydroFlask said in a post on Threads earlier this week.

The Oregon-based brand, which years ago enjoyed almost Stanley-like levels of popularity, touted the "more complex – and more expensive" process it developed to get the lead out of its products.

In other words, the cup is safe to use.

Of course, that hasn't stopped people on TikTok or other social media platforms from fanning the flames of uncertainty about Stanley's exceptionally popular products.