100% committed to sustainable cotton
Cotton is one of our most important raw materials. You’ll find it in many products, from sofas and cushions to bed sheets and mattresses. Although we love working with cotton, we are uncomfortable with the fact that growing cotton in the conventional way is often harmful to the environment and the people involved. We have made a commitment to only use cotton grown in a responsible way in our products, for the benefit of our customers and the planet.
Since September 1st 2015, all the cotton we use for IKEA products comes from more sustainable sources. This means that the cotton is either recycled, or grown with less water, chemical fertilizer and pesticides."
Since September 1st 2015, all the cotton in our products comes from more sustainable sources. We are pleased to have reached our 100% target, but we aren’t satisfied and won’t stop there. We are committed to creating a positive change throughout the entire cotton industry – more sustainable cotton needs to become a mainstream material beyond our business.
Cotton grown with care – your choice matters
When caring for your loved ones by creating a home with more sustainable cotton products, you are teaming up with us by choosing cotton grown with respect for people. This also means you are contributing to the well-being of cotton farmers and their families, and a less polluted world for your child to grow up in. Together, we can make a difference!
When making yourself comfortable with TOVSIPPA bed linen at night, don’t forget to feel good about having contributed to the wellbeing of the farmers that grew the cotton it’s made from. All cotton at IKEA is grown with less water, less fertilizers and less pesticides, while increasing profit margins for the farmers.
We believe that you shouldn’t have to compromise on either price, quality, function, design or sustainability when decorating your home, that’s why any cotton choice you make at IKEA is a better one. SKÄGGÖRT fabric, for example, is made from 100% more sustainable cotton.
Cotton from more sustainable sources*"
77%"
Better Cotton
17%"
Recycled
6%"
Towards Better Cotton**
* Cotton from more sustainable sources includes Better Cotton, Recycled Cotton and Towards Better Cotton.
** Towards Better Cotton is a standard developed by IKEA following the same principles and criteria as Better Cotton, on its way to become Better Cotton.
Leading a constant change for cotton
Over a decade ago, IKEA, WWF and other partners, established the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI), an organization aiming to make global cotton production better for the industry, people and our planet.
Today, as one of the largest catalysts for improving cotton farming, we continue to positively impact the business. Currently we’re the only global retailer in the world selling products made from 100% cotton from more sustainable sources. But we are not satisfied. Our mission is to spread the word and go beyond our business. Together with our partners, we’re on a journey to make cotton from more sustainable sources a mainstream practice – affordable and accessible to all.
Through hands-on training and field schools, together with our partners we have helped around 110,000 farmers learn more sustainable farming methods. This initiative enabled farmers to cut costs, increase their profits and improve their working conditions. As a result, they could afford a better quality of life for their families, including schooling for their children. We are continuing to work in the field while expanding the scope of our cotton initiatives to include water, biodiversity and soil management.
Growing cotton responsibly with a focus on water
When grown conventionally, cotton farming uses large amounts of chemicals and water. This practice often leads to significant health risks to farmers, while damaging the environment.
At IKEA, we don’t want to be part of the problem – we want to be part of the solution. That’s why we are 100% commited to sustainable cotton. It means that our cotton is grown with less water and chemicals, helping areas that are subject to erosion and water scarcity.
Becoming water positive
Cotton is one of the most high-impact crops when it comes to water. At IKEA, we are committed to being water positive, using it as efficiently as possible, promoting water stewardship throughout and beyond our own sphere of operations and on into the wider world.
Based on WWF’s water stewardship model, we are working to reduce the impact of our own operations and our suppliers’ operation, supporting sustainable water management in river basins and increasing people’s access to clean water.
Our work to become water positive focuses on cotton, providing farmers with training on better water management practices, and establishing community-based Water User Associations. This means farmers grow with less water, so more water can be diverted to other uses.
Learn more about our partnerships and how we work with cotton
Since September 1, 2015, all the cotton we use for IKEA products comes from more sustainable sources. This means that the cotton is grown with less water, chemical fertilizers and pesticides, while increasing profit margins for farmers.