In case you missed it, another water bottle might be better than Stanley Cups. Owala entered the competitive water bottle market with a substantial impact since launching the FreeSip design in 2020. The bottle has received more than 40,000 five-star reviews and has a rapidly growing fanbase. After a TikTok went viral, the Owala FreeSip water bottle has piqued the interest more than it has before. If you’re on, WaterTok, then I am almost certain you’ve seen TikTok user Lexxmexx04’s idea that when you drink this bottle you look like a koala. This got them to theorize that the brand is named Owala because it is similar sounding to koala.
What’s the backstory of the Owala FreeSip water bottle?
The Owala FreeSip bottle was originally designed for anyone who would use their BlenderBottle shakers as everyday water bottles. On Owalalife’s blog the CEO, Steve Sorenson, explained the market research behind the inclusion of both a straw and a spout — the innovative sip-or-swig spout — has also been patented by the company.
“You have the straw people, and you have the spout people. That seemed like a pain point that needed fixing,” Sorenson said in the blog. “You should be able to have it all in a single bottle — and in a simple and stylish way, not in an overstated way with cumbersome gizmos and parts.”
Where did looking like a koala when drinking from an Owala come from?
Lexxmexx04’s viral video has convinced many, and although I cannot unsee it, there is no proof that this is why Owala named its brand.
Owala has not publicly disclosed any information regarding its brand name, which leaves many on TikTok skeptical if this was just by chance or if the koala theory has some fact behind it. We reached out to the brand to find out if there’s a story there. “As for the origin of the Owala name, we’ll keep that one close to the vest, but we sure love hearing everyone’s theories!” a representative for the brand said in an email.
TikTok user @sonotjhun disagrees with the koala theory as he thought it was a rhyming technique — Owala bottle, a water bottle, get it?
As someone who appreciates a well-designed water bottle, Owala caught my attention not just for its functionality but also its quirky name. The idea that the name might be a nod to resembling a koala while drinking intrigued me further. Koalas are undeniably adorable and who wouldn’t want to resemble one especially while drinking water?
In the realm of water bottles, Owala is seemingly a leading competitor and has gained even more traction since the whole koala debate. Users on X have been expressing more interest in purchasing an Owala bottle simply because of this theory. User @_xariellej said, “am i going to get an owala bc you look like a koala while drinking it? yes, absolutely.”
After some research, there is no evidence from the Owala company itself to support the koala theory. It just seems to be a positive outcome of a viral video. However, even though there is no clear answer, my enthusiasm for the idea doesn’t lessen.