Improvement #41

Oh, that’s organic too.

The majority of SYLT jams are part of IKEA FOOD’s expanding range of organic products, sold in the Swedish Food Market in IKEA stores. Organic agriculture excludes the use of chemical fertilisers or pesticides, and strives to maintain biodiversity and ecological balances. Our global range offers 20 organic food products.

Improvement #42

As little formaldehydeas possible.

Formaldehyde is a common chemical compound present in for example water, fruit and wood, but it can also be added through industrial processes. To avoid health problems, there are strict requirements of formaldehyde emissions from furniture. We want the formaldehyde emission levels in IKEA wood products to be equal to the levels of natural wood. So, first we cut formaldehyde-based lacquers (1993) from our products. Next, we removed formaldehyde from glue systems used to glue veneer surfaces on furniture. DAVE laptop table, for example, has a fibreboard top that has contributed to cutting formaldehyde emissions by nearly 40% in recent years. The levels are now significantly below EU requirements.

Improvement #44

Grandma stuffed pillows with quilt scraps too.

At IKEA, we hate waste! This is why we take every opportunity to turn spill from production into raw material for other products. LUSY BLOM cushion is one good example. It is filled with leftovers from IKEA quilt production, so we can make sure the content is safe and healthy as well as making use of material that would otherwise be wasted.

Improvement #48

Keeping kids safer with better plastics.

SAGOSTEN inflatable children’s floor cushions are made from polyolefin, a smooth and durable plastic without the chlorine and other harmful additives found in the more commonly used PVC. Use of PVC is banned from IKEA products since the early nineties. The only exception is electrical cords, where no viable alternative is available – yet.

Improvement #49

Soft, natural fiber that comes from trees.

The soft, densely woven fabric in IKEA 365+ RISP bed linen is made from 50% cotton and 50% Lyocell. Lyocell is a renewable cellulosebased material derived from wood fibres from tree farms (which use less water than cotton farms). Also, the necessary chemicals in IKEA 365+ RISP bed linen production process are recycled in a closed system to minimise environmental impact and waste.

Improvement #53

Leftovers last longer.

Did you know that up to a quarter of all food is thrown away every day in many households? That’s not only a waste of money. Food production uses lots of CO2, so cutting waste helps reduce our carbon footprint. IKEA food savers help take better care of fresh food and leftovers. Some products have benefits making them especially good for saving your food and using just the right amount of food to prevent waste when cooking. For example, some sizes in the IKEA 365+ food storage series come with a removable plastic bottom grid to allow excess moisture to drain off and help food last longer. And, in the RARITET series the jar for dry storage has a measuring cup in the lid to make getting it right easier. The jar itself is transparent and graduated so you can see how much is left.