A new water bottle could put the ‘squeeze’ on the $8 billion reusable water bottle industry

High-tech shoes, apparel and devices are already commonplace. Now European start-up Keego has come up with an innovative, new water bottle.

The bottle is squeezable and reusable — and made of elastic metal. An elastic core is fused to a 99.8 percent pure titanium exterior. The tip of the bottle is made of medical-grade silicone — a compromise that Keego claims is made for the well-being of your teeth.

According to a recent Nielsen report, among the 66 percent of global respondents they surveyed who look to buy reusable bottles, more than 50 percent are influenced by key sustainability factors, such as a product being made from fresh, natural and/or organic ingredients (69%), a company being environmentally friendly (58%) and a company being known for its commitment to social values (56%).

In 2016 the reusable water bottle industry was valued at $7.6 billion and is expected to rise to more than $10 billion by 2024, according to a research report by Transparency Market Research. This comes as consumers become more aware of the efforts to reduce plastic in the environment. One of the companies dominating the market is S’well, the stainless-steel water bottle company that launched seven years ago. It is now one of the fastest-growing women-owned companies in the country, having topped $100 million in revenue in 2016.

For now the Keego bottle is patent-pending. It was fully funded on Indiegogo and costs $59 plus shipping. It will be available for delivery in August 2018.