The Unexpected Reason Reddit Loves Kirkland Bottled Water

Celebrated worldwide, Costco's Kirkland brand offers store members high-quality products at a discounted rate. The esteemed brand, which recently won 11 awards at the annual Deal Awards (per Kirkland), produces a vast and eclectic range of merchandise. From items like vodka and batteries, to bulk toilet paper and coffee beans, Kirkland makes it all.

With 116.6 million cardholders spanning 837 store locations worldwide (via Costco), it's no surprise that there's an entire Reddit page dedicated to exalting Costco. While there's a laundry list of Kirkland products to discuss and dissect, one Reddit user took to the forum to salute Costco's water bottles for its clever design. The plastic water bottles are printed with the familiar "Kirkland Signature" logo plastered at its frontside — nothing unusual. But it wasn't the logo that had this Reddit user swooning, it's what was printed on the side of the bottle: a small white name tag box for penning your name.

The Reddit post included the caption "I mean, how handy is this. I can't tell you how many times we have guessed whose water bottle was whose." An organizational relic, the water bottle's name tag design is made for busy people who need to remember which source of hydration is their own.

Although the unique design of Kirkland Signature's plastic water bottle speaks to germaphobes — and general forgetfulness — with a name tag box, dozens of Reddit users shared their concerns about its implications on pollution and climate change (via Reddit). According to Forbes, "scientists believe it takes over 500 years for plastics to break down in our natural environment, and even then, they don't decompose." It's a concerning set of data that Reddit doesn't take lightly. One disappointed person wrote, "Guys. Seriously stop buying plastic water bottles," while another person stated they'd pay extra for canned or boxed water that's easier to recycle.

But there's good news for Costco members who double as climate activists: Kirkland doesn't just sell single-use plastic water bottles. Kirkland enthusiasts can enjoy guilt-free hydration with their reusable, cat-sized water jugs. You'll just have to forfeit that handy name tag design.