Every color tells a story. Green is never just green, nor is blue ever just blue. It’s the flash of sunlight on an alpine lake or the underside of a cloud on a spring morning. It’s a snapshot of a place, a memory, a feeling.
At least, that’s how Hydro Flask sees things. The Bend, Oregon–based hydration brand, which pioneered the vacuum-insulated water bottle back in 2009, has always taken a unique approach to color, with palettes drawn from nature and designed to evoke feelings of our favorite outdoor memories. Like a smell or sound, color can snap you back into a memorable moment or place.
But that’s not all color can do. Just think about choosing the paint for your bedroom or house, or the shade of your favorite shirt. Color is a powerful force, and researchers who study color psychology say colors can change your mood and even shape your thinking. That means blue tones, for example, could make you more relaxed, more tranquil, and more creative.
Maybe that’s why we intuitively pay close attention to the products we use, the clothes we…