When and why did Nalgene(tm) bottles become so damned trendy as a means for students to transport water to class? Is it really that much better of an alternative to a bottled-water container?

I found this on the Nalgene website:

NALGENE bottles and containers are made of pure plastic with no fillers or extenders added, so the "plastic" smell is simply the natural odor of the material.

Um, does anyone else find it amusing that they are touting a synthetic product made of petroleum as containing "no fillers or extenders" and having a "natural odor"? The environmentally-friendly tree images on the website are also a little ironic considering the environmental dangers associated with non-biodegradable containers made from fossil fuels.