We recently had the chance to make a delivery to an Ikea store in Elizabeth, NJ. We were interested to learn about this Swedish furniture store’s new sustainability initiative.
Many consumers believe things that are affordable, like Ikea furniture, are also disposable. The company’s chief sustainability officer Steve Howard wants to challenge that notion by creating an innovative way to recycle old products.
Ikea’s Circular Store
Howard believes that every business has an obligation to provide avenues for recycling and repairing products. That’s why he came up with the Ikea “circular store,” where customers can bring their damaged or unwanted Ikea products and repair or recycle them. Customers would be welcome to drop by with expired couches, mattresses, and rugs, and have them repaired or recycled, so they don’t end up in the landfill.
Ikea has conducted several successful pilots of this program, mostly in Europe. We can’t wait for them to hit the US! Click here to read the whole story on Fast Company.