IKEA launches VÄXELBRUK – a collection of textile products partially made from recycled co-worker uniforms

IKEA launches VÄXELBRUK, a collection partially made from recycled co-worker uniforms collected from IKEA stores and distribution centres across Europe. Through this pilot project, IKEA has explored how to give a second life to used clothing and manage recycling processes within the IKEA value chain. The VÄXELBRUK series will be available in selected IKEA stores in Europe from February 2024.

From 2020 to 2022, IKEA introduced a new design of co-worker clothing globally in IKEA customer meeting points. During this time, IKEA also collected numerous pallets of co-worker uniforms with old design from its stores and distribution centres across Europe. This was a starting point for the pilot project to explore how used co-worker uniforms can be turned into secondary raw materials and how to develop and manage all steps of the recycling process within IKEA, from collecting textile waste to producing new products from it. The outcome is VÄXELBRUK, the collection of textile products that will be launched in selected IKEA stores in Europe from February 2024.

The VÄXELBRUK collection contains 16 textile products such as curtains, cushion covers, throws and bags. The products were made using the fibres recycled from the collected co-worker uniforms. To ensure the desired colour expressions and required quality standards, these fibres were blended with other materials e.g. recycled polyester from used PET bottles or pre-consumer textile waste. During the project, a batch of faulty new co-worker clothing was identified and used in this collection's production as well.

Through this project, IKEA explored the complete process of recycling within the IKEA value chain. The knowledge gained from this pilot has brought important learnings for IKEA to continue finding new ways of working for recycling.

“Through the VÄXELBRUK pilot project, IKEA aimed to test and learn how to turn textile waste into secondary raw materials for new products. The VÄXELBRUK project is an example of entrepreneurship that challenges current practices and develops ways of working for recycling”, says Lena Julle, Sustainability manager, IKEA of Sweden.

“For IKEA, the VÄXELBRUK project was an opportunity for a thorough exploration of recycling processes. We had to learn to navigate quite a complex landscape in terms of requirements, legislation, and logistics. The project brought a lot of cross-disciplinary learnings, not only about textiles. We’re sharing these insights across IKEA to use in everything from the supply chain to product development and design”, says Luca Clerici, Deployment leader New Business and Innovation Deployment Management Europe Supply.  

The VÄXELBRUK collection will be available in selected IKEA stores in Europe from February 2024.

Read more about how the VÄXELBRUK collection was developed here.