SALNÖ Armchair, rattan

“Maybe you’ve seen pictures of how rattan furniture is usually packed and transported – high and bulky stacks. It’s also furniture that is difficult for customers to take home. We wanted to find a more efficient solution without losing the handicraft that traditional rattan furniture stands for,” says Kristin Pfannenschmidt, product developer.

Kristin and her colleagues teamed up with one of our suppliers in Indonesia. “They know how to transform natural fibre like rattan into beautiful everyday objects. At IKEA, we have experience of furniture in flat packages and smart production, so it was a question about combining our different skills,” says Kristin. Every part is handmade, but the holes in the frame are made by machines to always end up in the same place – otherwise, the chair would be difficult to assemble. “It’s a mix of machine-made and handmade – the best of two worlds.”

“By combining different production methods, we can sell SALNÖ in a flat package,” tells Kristin. It saves space on the pallets when we transport the armchair and makes it easier for customers to bring it home in the car or on the bus. “Easier handling than ordinary rattan furniture – all the way from the artisans to the homes of the many people. It means customers will have to assemble SALNÖ themselves, but when they do, I hope they can find some joy in that they also contribute to more efficient transports and the preservation of handicraft traditions in Indonesia,” smiles Kristin.