Materials & Methods

, 06.05.21

Jorge on bringing out the inner child for designing toys

There is a child in all of us, or so they say. Jorge Omar Santoyo Henaine can vouch for that. The product developer has managed to not only keep his inner child alive but also brimming with creative ideas. We ask him how? Jorge says for each toy that he creates at IKEA, he asks the child in him – would you like to play with this one? If the answer is yes, he goes ahead with it.

, 08.04.21

Covering an icon in denim to be more sustainable

The love for denim will probably never go out of style. Yet from a sustainability perspective, most jeans produced end up in landfills. That’s why IKEA is now joining hands with the Dutch denim brand MUD Jeans, creating a limited-edition KLIPPAN sofa cover using an innovative method that gives new life to both sofas and worn-out jeans.

, 23.02.21

Experimenting with loops for that fuzzy feeling

She wanted something that gives you a fuzzy tingly feeling when you walk on it. IKEA designer Akanksha Deo started experimenting with different kinds of yarn and wool for a rug together with Indian artisans. This is how they came up with a new loop technique and combined different Indian textile traditions and textiles for the coming collection LOKALT.

, 03.02.21

Nishant on turning plastic bottles into artificial sheepskins

Polyester is one of the most popular synthetic fibres in the world. For decades, it’s been used in everything from packaging to garments. But virgin polyester doesn’t live up to IKEA’s sustainability requirements to reach the ambitious goal of being a circular business by 2030. We talked to Caroline and Nishant about material innovation and a more sustainable artificial sheepskin.

Materials & Methods

, 11.12.20

A welcome return in earthy colours

Paulin Machado, designer at IKEA, listened to the customers wishes for a subtle palette to complement the golden trays and cake-stands. Meet LJUVARE, a Middle Eastern collection for celebration and cozy family get togethers, inspired by hot days and cold starry desert nights.

Materials & Methods

, 09.12.20

Nada on finding delight in the tradition

Together with Lebanese designer Nada Debs, IKEA has created a contemporary Middle Eastern design for warm and inviting homes. We talked to Nada about LJUVARE, working with ancient metal techniques and the healing power of tradition.

Materials & Methods

, 22.10.20

Designing for the holidays when there is no space left

When Friso left the countryside for a 22 square meter apartment in Amsterdam, creating solutions for a limited space became almost like a sport. Today he lives in the middle of a Swedish forest, and the spruce trees around him have inspired the trees in this year’s winter collection that will literally take up zero floor space.

Materials & Methods

, 04.08.20

Challenging a sticky bestie

What happens if you challenge a best friend? To find out, we invited four mechanical engineering students to come up with ideas for an even better BÄSTIS lint remover.

Materials & Methods

, 22.07.20

Designing to help us remember the leftovers

We asked Thibault Poyet, who works as a product design developer at IKEA, about developing the 365+ series and if he can relate to a kitchen drawer full of mismatched lids and containers. Now we also know that baking enthusiasts have something to look forward to.

Materials & Methods

, 18.04.20

Hao on using what’s left after harvest

The endless belts of nipa palm were just another part of the scenery during Hao’s youth in Vietnam. As an engineer at IKEA he became determined to use this ubiquitous plant for products. We asked Hao about the nipa palm stalks left after harvest for LUSTIGKURRE baskets.