Why have convenient water cups become inconvenient?

There once appeared on the market a convenient water cup that was physically folded. It was not folded like a silicone water cup. This kind of folding water cup once appeared most often on airplanes as a small gift for passengers. It once did bring convenience to people, but with the passage of time, the improvement of technology, changes in consumption habits and effects, this foldable and convenient water cup has become increasingly rare in the market. The reason is that the convenient water cup has become inconvenient. Why?

In the 1920s, before mineral water was produced, people used to carry water bottles when traveling. This kind of water cup is mainly an enamel water cup made of tinplate, which is difficult to carry. In order to make it easier for people to carry it when traveling far away, and at the same time make the water cup lighter and cheaper, the foldable and convenient water cup was born. This water cup was once popular in the market. When others are using bulky water bottles, a small, lightweight water bottle with a magical folding function will naturally attract countless eyeballs. However, since most of this water bottle is made of plastic, it is found to be easily damaged after use. At the same time, workmanship problems caused unsmooth use and lax sealing, which resulted in a decline in sales.

With the production of mineral water and the increase in people’s income, people prefer to buy a bottle of mineral water when they are thirsty. After drinking, the bottle can be discarded at any time, which will not cause people inconvenience in carrying it. It is precisely because of the emergence of mineral water that the number of water dispensers in public places has begun to decrease. This kind of foldable water cup has less use. After use, the foldable water cup will dry out, be taken out for use or be dirty due to improper storage. It requires cleaning before use, etc. The originally convenient water cup has given people an inconvenient feeling. Even though the cost is low, it is gradually eliminated by the market.

In recent years, when attending exhibitions, we have seen folding water cups made of stainless steel. In addition to being bulky, when folded, the stainless steel edges are likely to cause harm to people if they are not cleaned. Later, I discovered that such stainless steel water cups no longer appeared in the market.