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Article Number 400.825.36

SOARE Place Mat, Water Hyacinth Product Information

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Making business decisions that empower women

The SOARÉ placemat is so popular it nearly disappeared. Why? Sales were approaching the impossible when it comes to delivering quality, handmade, natural fibre products. The team responsible for SOARÉ was preparing to replace it with a machine-made alternative. But before they did, they took a trip that changed everything.

Empowering women

Lillemor Franzén and her colleagues found themselves sitting in the homes of these weavers, listening to stories about how SOARÉ has made a positive impact. “One woman told us that thanks to SOARÉ her daughter is now training to become a teacher,” she says. Usually, two or three weavers gather in one of their homes to work together. They chat, laugh, keep an eye on the farms and look after the children who are too young for school. “I feel so proud working at IKEA when I see this,” says Lillemor, “It gets to your heart, really.”

Making better business decisions

The team decided the solution to meeting growing customer demands for natural fibre placemats is to introduce more of them, but machine-made. Customers get a wider selection to choose from and sales pressure is taken off SOARÉ. Machine-made placemats can be produced in higher quantities than handmade, and SOARÉ production can continue as it is. “We always have the intention here to do good business, and we are,” says Lillemor. “And on my trip to Vietnam I found that SOARÉ has a purpose greater than business.”

Material

What is water hyacinth?

Water hyacinth is a free-floating plant that spreads quickly in tropical waterways. When covering the surface completely, it blocks out sunlight which disrupts biodiversity. Also, local communities suffer as transportation routes are clogged. When harvested, biodiversity is restored and waterways are kept open. The plant itself becomes a resource too. The stalks make a flexible material that can be woven or braided into unique baskets, mats and other home furnishings.

IKEA - SOARE, place mat, water hyacinth, 37 cm

SOARE Place Mat, Water Hyacinth Product Information

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