Choosing materials
A more sustainable start
At IKEA, we’re working hard to ensure that all our home furnishings are made from renewable, recyclable or recycled materials. Yes it’s a matter of responsibility. But we also believe that making the best use of resources helps us keep prices low and quality high. Here are some of the more sustainable materials we use today.
Wood
In 2017, 50% of our wood was FSC® (Forestry Stewardship Council) certified or from recycled sources. The FSC standard protects ecosystems and people’s livelihoods, and our long-term goal is 100%. Today, all the wood we use must meet our IWAY Forestry Standard, which bans wood from sources involved in forest-related conflicts or illegally harvested. It also states that harvesting should not threaten High Conservation Value forests.
Bamboo
Bamboo has more than a thousand species, grows mostly in the tropics and can be up to 30 metres tall. Strong and lightweight, bamboo can be used to create a hardwood effect. It grows faster than wood and does not need farming.
More than 90% of the bamboo we use is grown in China, and in 2016, nearly all of it was FSC certified. Certification has been a long journey and we look forward to rolling out our bamboo standards to develop the industry in India and Vietnam too.
Water hyacinth
A fast-growing plant, water hyacinth is a durable and highly renewable material we use to make hand-woven products like baskets. And because it is clogging up waterways in South East Asia, using it this way benefits both people and biodiversity.
Recycled pet plastic
PET plastic can be melted down and used to make other products such as quilts and pillows. An old plastic bottle is transformed into pellets, then into a usable textile. This gives plastic another life and reduces waste. It also creates a material that’s much more comfortable than the name might suggest.
Better Cotton
Together with the Better Cotton Initiative and WWF, we enable more than 100,000 farmers in India and Pakistan to produce cotton using less chemicals and water. As of Sept 1st 2015, all cotton used in IKEA products comes from more sustainable sources.
Flax and Linen
Linen is produced from extracted fibres of flax plants that grow in large fields, often in cooler climates where artificial irrigation and pesticides are rarely used. The fibres of fast-growing flax plants make linen strong and durable, yet soft and breathable, too.