New IKEA Collection: What's Interesting About It

A new limited edition IKEA HANTVERK collection has appeared in stores, which translates from Swedish as 'craftsmanship'. All items in this collection are handmade by artisans from social enterprises in Thailand, India, Jordan, and Romania.

IKEA started cooperating with craftsmen and small farmers back in 2013 so they could earn a stable income, pay taxes, and support their families. Just imagine: today more than 5,000 people are involved in production, and 85% of them are women (who find it much harder to get jobs than men).

What's interesting about the new collection?

All items are made from natural and eco-friendly materials — banana fiber, non-industrial paper, and cotton.

The design was developed by IKEA designer Iina Väyrynen. As she says, there were no surprises. For example, this is what happened during the design process of throws and towels:

"I sent sketches to a women's craft enterprise in India, where the artisans accidentally applied two patterns instead of one on the fabric. The appearance of the items only improved as a result!"

Instead of regular plastic storage items, IKEA offers lightweight baskets made from banana fiber — perfect for storing jewelry and small items.

Pillowcases are made at the Rangsutra enterprise in India. The prints on the pillowcases are hand-stitched. By purchasing items from this collection, you help artisans and their families secure a better future.