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A fisherman supplier for SmartFish in Mexico

Social enterprises driving global change on World Food Day

Every year on 16 October, World Food Day highlights important topics such as food waste, sustainable agriculture, biodiversity, and the challenges faced by fishing communities — all in an effort to combat climate change. This year's theme is "Hand in Hand for Better Foods and a Better Future”. It's the perfect opportunity for us to shine a spotlight on the incredible efforts of social entrepreneurs, who are making everyday life better for so many people and how they're creating a more sustainable and inclusive world.

lokalt hero tania

LOKALT

IKEA has reached out to social enterprises and local designers in Jordan, Thailand, and India, to create the new LOKALT collection: a modern take on traditional handicraft inspired by local traditions. Every cushion cover, rug, basket, and bowl in this collection is handmade by skilled artisans and creates work in regions where it’s most needed

I looked for designers with a modern expression because I wanted to show that handicraft doesn’t have to look traditional or old-fashioned. It can be modern and even avant-garde.

Maria O’Brian, Creative leader at IKEA
LOKALT came to be with the help of contemporary local designers from Amman, Delhi, Bangkok and IKEA in-house designer and includes a diverse collection of handmade products where local traditions meet traditional handicraft.

The designers of LOKALT are the design duo Ploypan Theerachai and Decha Archjananun based in Bangkok, Tania Haddad from Amman, and IKEA in-house designer Akanksha Deo who is based in Delhi. The social businesses partners contributing to the LOKALT collection are Jordan River Foundation in Jordan, Doi Tung in Thailand, Industree in India and Diamond carpets female weavers in India.

LOKALT designers

Social enterprises around livelihoods are actually quite rare, but those are the ones that need to be scaled. We have to engage with big business, otherwise, we are not able to see scale. We need the power of big business behind us and that’s why the relationship with IKEA is crucial.

Neelam Chhiber, Managing Trustee, Industree Craft Foundation
The products in this collection have a modern touch and are full of details that tell stories from the places where the products are actually made. Most important though, every pillowcase, rug, and bowl produced in this process contributes to creating equality, inclusion, and improving livelihoods in regions where it’s so most needed.

LOKALT collection 2

The collaboration for LOKALT focuses on mutual learning and building on each other’s strengths. It’s about co-creating unique, affordable, handcrafted products and merging IKEA design with local techniques.

IKEA will continue to invest in business partnerships that help create long-term job opportunities and improve the livelihoods of vulnerable individuals. LOKALT will be launched in 294 stores on 25 IKEA markets in June 2021. 

Shop the collection