Choosing sustainable materials

We are continuing our journey towards only sourcing renewable or recycled materials by 2030. We aim to use only renewable or recycled materials and to provide new solutions for our customers to prolong the life of products and materials.

The perfect sleep partner

There’s nothing better than snuggling up in bed, in soft, cosy cotton bedlinen. But what goes into producing the softest, crispest, snuggliest bedlinen, and where does our cotton come from? Join us on this journey to find out! Cotton is one of the most popular materials around the home, particularly in the bedroom. Whether you prefer laying on cool, crisp sheets, lounging in linen or snuggling up in a soft, warm flannel duvet, nothing beats the feeling of cotton against the skin. But where does the cotton come from and how is it produced? And how do we know if it’s good for us, or the communities that produce it? Here are just some of the ways that IKEA is making cotton better.

Making cotton better

Working with organisations such as the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), certification schemes and standards such as the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) and more, ensures that the cotton is grown and produced according to common standards.

Since 2015 the virgin cotton used in our products has come from cotton farmers who strive to use less pesticides, fertilisers and water.

A second chance

IKEA is transitioning towards a circular business and is working to increase the use of recycled materials, such as recycled cotton. Our recycled cotton is defined by IKEA as cotton recovered from hard cotton waste, such as yarns, fabrics, garments etc and sourced according to the Global Recycled Standard (GRS).

Recycled cotton is already used together with virgin cotton in some IKEA products for home textiles, as well as bed textiles. We want to increase the share of recycled cotton even more going forward.

In the mix

Health and safety are a top priority when creating materials that are close to the skin. At IKEA, when working with chemicals we always consider the necessity of each chemical we use, and we’re always looking for better alternatives.

We are also working to decrease the use of pure cotton by blending it with other materials such as manmade cellulose fibres and bast fibres to strengthen fabric durability and add other look and feel dimensions.