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More durable cotton

Cotton is one of our most important raw materials. It is found in many of our products - from sofas and pillows to sheets and mattresses. Even though we love cotton, we realize that conventional cotton cultivation is often harmful to both the environment and the growers. Therefore, we have decided to use only cotton that is grown responsibly.

How does cotton affect humans and the planet?
  • Conventional cotton cultivation requires a lot of water and toxic chemicals.
  • Cotton is a monoculture. This means that with conventional cultivation, there is a very limited biological diversity where the cotton grows.
  • High costs for chemicals and irrigation can cause growers to come close to or below the poverty line.

What kind of cotton does IKEA use?
  • 17 percent comes from recycled cotton.
  • 77 percent comes from cotton grown in the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI). Growers in the initiative have implemented methods to use less water, fewer chemicals and pesticides.
  • 6 percent come from growers working to become part of the Better Cotton Initiative or other initiatives such as the 'e3 Cotton Program' in the United States.
We start from WWF's model for responsible water use. It reduces the environmental impact of both our own operations and those of our suppliers, provides support for sustainable water use in river areas and increases people's access to clean water.

Our work focuses on cotton, where we train growers in better water management and form water user associations in local communities to save water that can instead be used for other purposes.

Find out more about Circular & Climate Positive

Our materials

Bamboo and its many benefits in terms of sustainability

Recycling