Carrying FRAKTA into the future

Practical, reusable and unmistakably IKEA, FRAKTA embodies our Democratic Design principles of form, function, sustainability and quality – all at a low price. So why the change? “Our motto all the way through the project has been ‘securing FRAKTA for the future,” says IKEA Product Developer, Julia Rosenberg. While FRAKTA has undergone an overhaul in terms of materials, the updates have had a very small impact on the outward appearance of the product, retaining its iconic look.

Although we've made updates to FRAKTA, the good news is that you probably won't even notice the changes. It's just as big, blue and unmistakably IKEA as always. So, what has changed? Well, originally produced by hand, thanks to a new production process, FRAKTA bags are now made by fully automated machines that can produce more than one bag per second! Automation ensures consistent quality and durability, without affecting the low price.

And then there's the new welded handles; "You may not think that something as simple as welding a handle and top edge of the bag instead of sewing is a big thing, but this alone saves almost 89,000 kilometres of sewing thread!" explains Product Development Engineer Anna Dal Santo.

Since 2017, our team of developers, engineers and suppliers have been working to increase the use of recycled materials, without affecting the qualities of FRAKTA that make it such an icon.

“Achieving a high share of recycled material content in the FRAKTA bag meant overcoming significant technical challenges. Recycled polypropylene requires additional processing and quality control, while redesigning the FRAKTA bag to use a single material involved rethinking key elements of the bag without compromising strength or affordability. Through years of testing and close collaboration with suppliers, the team was able to transform how the FRAKTA bag is made while keeping it recognisably FRAKTA,” explains Jakub Brat, Engineering Manager at IKEA of Sweden.

FRAKTA production is broken down into three stages: Raw material preparation, fabric construction and production of the bag. The first step is the sorting, washing and grinding of the plastic packaging and FRAKTA factory waste into small pieces. This is then melted down and made into a film, which is cut into strips before it is woven into fabric. Then, the fabric is coated, giving it a shiny, water-repellent finish, before it is welded into its beloved blue form.

Developing the new handle was also complex. Made from from the same material base, it is melted down and extruded into filaments. However, the recycled content makes the filaments more complex to weave, so making something as slim as a handle was tricky. Working together with suppliers, it’s now part of a seamless process, if you’ll pardon the pun.

For three decades, the big blue FRAKTA carrier bag has become a reliable everyday companion. From shopping and laundry to moving home and even working out, there’s little this bag can’t handle, and the journey to make it even better in the future continues. Here’s to the next 30 years of FRAKTA!