The story of IKEA
We’ve come a long way since our early days in Älmhult, Sweden, but IKEA founder Ingvar Kamprad’s dream to create a better life for as many people as possible – whatever the size of their wallet – is and will always be our driving force.
Did you know?
IKEA is named after the initials of founder Ingvar Kamprad, Elmtaryd, the farm on which he grew up, and Agunnaryd, the nearby village.
Humble beginnings
IKEA was first registered as a trading company on the 28th of July, 1943 when Ingvar was just 17 years old. In his early years as an entrepreneur, Ingvar imported things like pens, watches and nylon stockings; adding furniture to the range in 1948.
Hej, Ingvar!
Ingvar Kamprad: just a regular, small-town boy from rural Sweden who would come to be one of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs. See how his resourceful Småland upbringing, mixed with a good dose of stubbornness defined his decades-long career at the helm of IKEA.
Always defined by our range
At IKEA, our mission is to offer a wide range of well-designed, functional home furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible will be able to afford them. Get to know some of the products that have lived up to this bold ambition from both years gone by, as well as those still in the range today.
What came before blue and yellow?
The two colours that come to mind when most people think of IKEA haven't always been a part of IKEA's visual identity. The IKEA logo, in particular, has seen many colours, shapes and forms come and go over the company's eight-decade history.
