They are at the forefront when it comes to sustainable, forward thinking and, of course, affordable design – and so it is hardly surprising that Ikea’s latest invention ticks all of those boxes.
As of today, you can now order an Ikea kitchen made entirely out of recycled plastic bottles and wood.
That’s right. The Kungsbacka is a fully sustainable kitchen, and all part of Ikea’s ambitious plan to increase the amount of recycled materials used in its product ranges and to reduce the company’s environmental footprint.
Anna Granath is a product developer at Ikea, and has lead the team that have developed the new Kungsbacka kitchen alongside the innovative Italiasn Ikea supplier, 3B. This is what she had to say about the launch:
“What we do at Ikea has a big impact on the environment because we work with such large quantities. By using recycled materials, we can produce our product ranges much more sustainably,” Granath explains.
She goes on to explain that after investigating a number of different recycled materials to see what was best suited to kitchen fronts, her team’s research resulted in the creation of a new product on the market – a plastic foil made from discarded PET-bottles collected by Japanese municipalities.
“We need to become better at using the planet’s resources in a smart way. Our ambition is to increase the share of recycled materials in our products. We are looking into new ways to re-use materials, such as paper, fibre, foam and plastic, so that we can give them a new life in a new product.”
And if you fancy a fully sustainable kitchen in your home, you are in luck.
This is what Leandro Godoy, Ikea Dublin Kitchens Manager had to say: “We are delighted to supply the Kungsbacka kitchen fronts here in Dublin. Our customers now have the option of bringing sustainable living into their kitchen, without compromising on design. The Italian crafted kitchen fronts are giving old bottles a second life in busy Irish kitchens and we will look forward to continuing to supply customers with sustainable products going forward.”
As well as the new kitchen, Ikea are also launching a new home planning service, where kitchen designers from Ikea can now visit your home to help you to measure and design the perfect kitchen for your everyday needs.
“Kitchens play such an important role in Irish homes, and we are really recognising this with our new offerings,” says Godoy.
The Kungsbacka kitchen comes with a 25 year guarantee, and the kitchen fronts are compatible with Ikea’s Metod kitchen cabinets.