Everybody says they wish to live a green lifestyle, but how many people actually know how to do it? Well, thanks to Ikea, going green is about to be as easy as simply walking into one of the Scandinavian chain’s massive outlets and opting for goods from its upcoming “no waste” collection. Though not comprehensive, Ikea’s new recycled line features small seats, kitchen cabinets, and glass-blown vases which — if you didn’t know they were recycled — look similar in quality and design to everything else in the brand’s extensive lineup.
Unless you knew beforehand, you’d have no idea these products were essentially manufactured out of trash. Looking at the kitchen cabinet setup — known as the KUNGSBACKA kitchen — the doors were built using recycled plastic bottles and recycled wood, yet the finished product is a sleek, wood-topped cabinet/sink combo. Ikea product developer Anna Granath asserts that the unit is roughly 99.9 percent recycled, showing that a stylish piece of furniture built from waste doesn’t have to be a far-fetched idea.
The collection’s molded chairs — dubbed Odger — are made from 70 -percent recycled plastic and 30-percent recycled wood. Upon launch (which is scheduled for February 2017), the chairs will be available in brown, blue, and white finishes with each boasting a wood-flake finish.
If these seem a little too ordinary and it’s flair you desire, look no further than the collection’s offering of glass vases. Made from rejected glass, these marbled vases are a swirling concoction of aesthetic wonder.
“To create something unique that can also be mass-produced was an exciting challenge for me as a designer, and for Ikea,” said designer Iina Vuorivirta. “Despite all the vases being mouth-blown in the same mold, they get a unique look because the melted glass is made of various shades of leftover material from the glassworks. The result is due to chance, and unique each time. Just like us humans.”
It’s unknown exactly how much each of the recycled products will cost upon their release, though if it’s like everything else in Ikea’s collection, the price point will likely be incredibly affordable. If the initial collection does well, expect Ikea to expand its collection to include even more environmentally friendly housing goods options.
