1990 - The present
1995 – ”Democratic Design” is launched
The term “Democratic Design” is used for the first time during the furniture fair in Milan in 1995. “I’ll never forget the feeling of seeing that statement on the billboards and trams of Milan during the fair. I sat outside drinking Campari and watching the trams go past bearing the words `Il design democratico – IKEA´”, explains Per Hahn, an archivist at the IKEA Museum in Älmhult.
1998 – “Sow a seed” launches
In 1983, a forest fire destroys 18,500 hectares of rainforest in Malaysian Borneo. When Ingvar Kamprad, hears about it he wants to contribute to the rainforest’s regeneration. So, in 1998, we begin financing the “Sow a seed” project, leading to more than 12,500 hectares of rainforest being replanted.
2012 – The TV everyone’s been waiting for. Or not.
The IKEA UPPLEVA TV is appreciated for its design and even its sound, but the actual TV part…not so much. Needless to say, UPPLEVA is phased out of the product range and we are reminded of the importance of bringing in expert help.
2014 – The first Life at home report
We start using a new method of exploring life at home: a mix of our own research and interviews. The first report focuses on morning routines. We interview a total of 8,292 respondents aged between 18 and 60 in 8 cities. We find out all kinds of things – for example, we learn that 52% of Berliners interviewed press the snooze button at least once, and 36% snooze more than once. Read more about these sleepy Berlin night-owls and other fun facts in the report here.