Hydro Flask Tackles Stadium Plastic Waste in New Ocean Conservancy Deal

BEND, Ore. – January 26, 2026 – In a significant move to combat the global ocean plastic crisis, Hydro Flask has announced a multi-year partnership with Ocean Conservancy, becoming the lead champion for the environmental group's “Protect Where We Play” initiative. The collaboration aims to leverage the immense platform of the sports and entertainment industries to mobilize fans against single-use plastic pollution, turning stadiums and concert venues into arenas for environmental action.

Under the terms of the deal, Hydro Flask, a division of Helen of Troy, will serve as the “Team Ocean Platinum Champion,” co-creating programs designed to reduce plastic waste at large-scale events. This partnership signals a strategic push to transform fan experiences by embedding sustainability at the heart of where people gather to play and celebrate.

A Strategic Play Beyond the Bottle

For Hydro Flask, this partnership is a calculated extension of a brand identity built on sustainability. The company’s “Refill for Good” rally cry has long encouraged consumers to ditch single-use containers. This new alliance moves the company's focus from individual action to systemic change within high-consumption environments. The move is also a savvy play in the highly competitive insulated drinkware market. While competitors like Stanley and Yeti have built brands around product durability, Hydro Flask is differentiating itself by investing in a large-scale, public-facing environmental cause.

This isn't the company's first foray into environmental stewardship. Hydro Flask has already made substantial strides in reducing its own footprint, including a multi-year project to transition to plastic-free, fully recyclable packaging—a move that eliminated material equivalent to over 10 million single-use plastic bottles by weight. Furthermore, its “Parks for All” charitable program has funneled over $2.5 million to non-profits supporting public green spaces. By aligning with Ocean Conservancy, Hydro Flask elevates its brand from a product that enables a sustainable lifestyle to a corporation that actively drives a sustainability movement.

Helen of Troy Home & Outdoor Division President Larry Witt emphasized this connection, stating, “At Hydro Flask, we hold a foundational value to protect the waters and lands where we recreate. Our new relationship with Ocean Conservancy's Protect Where We Play initiative builds upon our history of community-focused giving and single-use plastic reduction programs, allowing us to have greater global impact in encouraging public action to replace plastic products and preserve our planet for future generations.”

Leveraging a Movement with Momentum

Hydro Flask is not joining a fledgling effort but rather supercharging an initiative that has already gained significant traction. Launched in February 2025, Ocean Conservancy’s “Protect Where We Play” has successfully demonstrated its model. In 2025, its reusable cup tour, in partnership with live event sustainability program GOAL, reached concertgoers for major artists like Coldplay and Billie Eilish, proving that large venues can successfully pivot from disposable plastics.

The initiative has also recruited a roster of influential “Team Ocean Captains,” including athletes from the WNBA, NFL, and MLB, who use their platforms to advocate for ocean health. This strategy recognizes a fundamental truth: the ocean is inextricably linked to all human activity. “The ocean is our planet's life-support system. Every other breath taken by an athlete on the field, a singer on the stage, or a fan in the stands comes from the ocean,” said Jenna DiPaolo Colley, chief brand and communications officer at Ocean Conservancy. “Protect Where We Play is on a mission to leverage athletes, artists, teams, events and venues to mobilize millions of fans worldwide in protecting this vital resource, and that includes curbing single-use plastics.”

From Stadiums to Shorelines: Activating Fans on a Global Stage

The partnership's ambitious goals will be put to the test immediately. In its first year, the collaboration will target two premier sporting events to engage fans at scale. The first is the EcoAthletes Collegiate Cup, a unique competition where college athletes convert their exercise into funding for coral reef restoration. Hydro Flask will serve as a presenting partner, spotlighting “EcoAthlete Champions” throughout the year and amplifying a program that planted over 3,300 corals in 2025.

The main event, however, will take place in June and July during the FIFA World Cup. The partners will descend on host city Miami to roll out on-site fan activations at stadiums and fan festivals. These events are designed to be more than just informational booths; they will be interactive programs aimed at engaging fans directly in plastic reduction efforts. The partnership will also include national beach and river cleanups organized under Ocean Conservancy’s renowned International Coastal Cleanup® program, with volunteers using the Clean Swell app to log debris, contributing to a global database on plastic pollution.

The High Stakes of the Global Stadium Cleanup

The challenge this partnership confronts is staggering. Ocean Conservancy estimates that nearly 200 million metric tons of plastic are already circulating in the ocean, with an additional 11 million metric tons—equivalent to a garbage truck full of plastic every minute—entering the sea each year. Large-scale entertainment events are significant contributors to this problem, generating mountains of disposable waste with every game and concert.

By targeting these venues, Hydro Flask and Ocean Conservancy are aiming to intercept waste at a major source point. The FIFA World Cup, one of the most-watched events on the planet, represents a monumental opportunity. A successful activation in Miami could create a powerful proof of concept for how to manage waste at mega-events, potentially creating a new blueprint for sustainable event management worldwide. The partnership seeks not just to clean up but to fundamentally change behavior, inspiring a cultural shift where refilling a bottle becomes as common as cheering for the home team.