IKEA presents Us & Our Planet: This is How We Live, a book produced in collaboration between PHAIDON and IKEA. Together they have teamed up to explore one of the biggest challenges of our generation: sustainable living. Us & Our Planet looks at the life at home of twelve everyday people including activists, artists, athletes and gardeners as well as young families across the globe. From Mexico to Moscow, Bali to Beirut, the book shines a light on the small things one can do to make our world a little better.
“This is an inspirational study of the home, as the most important place on earth, and how we all, with small steps, can make the world a better place.”
Tina Petersson-Lind, Communication Manager, Inter IKEA Systems B.V.
Since the 1950s IKEA has conducted home visits all over the world to find out more about the way people live and investigate how daily life at home can be improved. This feedback informs product development and is mirrored in new generations of the IKEA range. Inspired by the IKEA’s life at home visits, Us & Our Planet presents case studies of twelve diverse individuals and families around the world. The book also highlights some of the IKEA’s most iconic products born from this approach over the past 70 years.
In the occasion of launching “Us & Our Planet” book in Kuwait, IKEA organized a post- Iftar walk in The Assima Mall Track, by inviting a variety of the media, non-governmental organizations’ representatives and environmental activists. The event took place at a new IKEA lounging area in The Assima Mall, titled “When Change Happens”. This campaign is part of the bigger movement within IKEA where they are shedding light on the IKEA sustainability agenda and work around enabling a healthier and more sustainable living.
“We want to build trust for how IKEA is approaching sustainability. Both the book, “Us and Our Planet” and this campaign “When Change Happens” show that by working together – many small changes will result in big impact. Living a healthier and more sustainable life remains a top priority to people. We want to bring closer strong aspirations of people, such as going on a short daily walk, and making significant changes.”
Tarek Al Anazi, IKEA Assima Mall Store Manager
Because living sustainably doesn’t have to be expensive, IKEA aims to help everyone to have a more sustainable life at home that they can afford. Over the past seventy-odd years, IKEA continued in developing products that everyone both love and can afford, and inform a range that includes beautiful, meaningful, long-lasting and affordable solutions to everyday problems, with a positive impact on people, society and our planet.
“At IKEA we work to develop and offer products, services and home furnishing solutions to inspire and enable people to live a healthier and more sustainable life at home. Our work is focused on five areas where the IKEA offer (both products and services) has a direct impact on people’s health and ability to reduce their environmental footprint at home: energy, air, water, food, and waste.”
Lena Julle, Sustainability Manager, IKEA of Sweden
IKEA, as a brand and business, is on a journey to reach 3 billion of the many people, to interact and inspire people with home furnishing products and solutions. This book is one of many new ways where IKEA hopes to reach and inspire to reach more of the many.
Us & Our Planet is structured into six thematic chapters: Time, Space, Food, Rest, Play, and Togetherness. Each chapter features three iconic IKEA designs, two life visits – interviewed and photographed by local writers and photographers – plus one photo essay by a photographer who has interpreted the theme of the chapter. This book wants to inspire the many people and serves as a call to action for each one of us to take small but important steps at home to make our world a little better.
We spoke to the IKEA team to learn more about the book, the collaboration and their bigger commitment to sustainability.
What is the purpose of ‘Us and our planet’?
‘Us and our planet’ is a book made by Phaidon in collaboration with IKEA aiming to explore the greatest challenge of our generation today – living sustainably. The book explored people’s lives today by visiting homes, workplaces and shared spaces all around the world to shine a light on the big and small things we can all do to make our world a little better. In addition, through this collaboration, IKEA has a good opportunity to show how inspiring people and their ideas can be. And through action, IKEA will show that collaborative efforts can make a significant impact. This book is simply about inspiration.
What is the book about?
Since the 1950s, IKEA has visited homes around the world to learn how people live. The home is the most important place on earth – and at IKEA we’re obsessed with making it better. With this in mind, Inter IKEA Systems (the worldwide IKEA franchisor) teamed up with Phaidon and together we have explored homes, workplaces, and shared spaces from Mexico to Moscow, Bali to Beirut. Together with Phaidon we have brought the life at home findings into this book divided in six themes: time, space, food, rest, play, and togetherness. The book also highlights iconic IKEA products from throughout the ages. Each symbolizes our commitment to the five dimensions of IKEA´s Democratic Design: form, function, low price, quality, and sustainability.
Why life visits as the core?
Its all about the life at home and how people live. We are curious about everything and how we can improve the life at home. Since the 1950s IKEA, the international design and furniture company, has conducted Home Visits all over the world to find out more about the way people live and investigate how daily life at home can be improved. This feedback informs product development. Inspired by IKEA’s Home Visits, Us & Our Planet presents a case studies or ‘Life Visits’ of twelve diverse individuals and families around the world.
Is this book a one-off, or are you planning for more books?
Today, there are no plans for a second book. But you never know what the future holds.
According to the Collaboration – who is the owner of the book?
The book is created through a collaboration between IKEA and PHAIDON, where Phaidon owns the book. IKEA has been part of setting the content to bought a number of copies – to give all our co-workers, working under the IKEA Brand, one example each.
Printing a book and sustainability seems a bit contradictive?!
The IKEA vision to create a better everyday life for the many people, is more relevant than ever. We continue our work to make healthy and sustainable living more accessible and affordable, both phasing out less sustainable products and introducing new and sustainable options. Meanwhile, we continue to offer more circular services including refurbishment, buy-back activities and providing more spare parts to customers.
We are working across the broad spectra of sustainability, with and towards different stakeholders and target groups. This is one way for IKEA to reach a new target group, to inspire people, to shine a light on some of the small things we can all do at home to have a positive impact on our planet. Together, we can make a significant impact. If we can inspire the readers of this book, to make one small change, together we can create a big impact to make the world a little better.
How unique is this for IKEA – to launch a book – and also to not own it yourselves?
We have produced many books over the years, but always produced and owned by IKEA. In addition, many books have been written about IKEA. This book is the first time we collaborate with Phaidon.
How does IKEA want its co-workers to relate and connect to the book?
We see all IKEA-colleagues as ambassadors for the IKEA brand. With this book we hope to impact the co-workers to be inspired and to contribute with small changes for us to make a big impact, together. Starting with our 225 000+ co-workers, will create a good start to this journey. It is all about inspiration.
Who is Phaidon?
Phaidon is a global publisher of the creative arts. They work with influential authors to produce innovative books on art, photography, design, architecture, fashion, food, and travel, and illustrated books for children.
Why Phaidon?
We are always curious and open to new ways of doing things to help us to reach many different people. Life at Home is rapidly changing. To stay relevant and meet new demands, we have to understand the new needs and expectations. We decided to join forces with Phaidon because their knowledge and expertise will help us meet more of the many different people, build relation within new and existing target groups and explore new ways of doing things.
How many copies has IKEA already bought?
Proud of this book, we have decided to give one copy each to all the 225 000+ co-workers working under the brand of IKEA and, in addition, IKEA stores will also receive a certain amount of copies to use in local customer activities.
How much does IKEA pay for the production, purchase and distribution of this book?
For competitive reasons we don’t make production or purchase prices/costs public.
How big is the climate footprint?
This question is up to Phaidon to answer since they are responsible for the production and distribution to IKEA centrally. (One book equals 1,176 KG CO2 = equals 10 meatballs.)
What is FSC?
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC™) works to improve forest management worldwide. Through establishing a globally recognised certification it creates an incentive for forest owners and managers to follow best social and environmental practices. The FSC™ certificate positively impacts workers and communities. It influences economic and environmental conditions by considering the needs of the present generation, without compromising those of the future
In how many languages will the book be translated into?
The books provided to the IKEA markets and co-workers will be translated into a number of languages: Chinese (Traditional Chinese och Simplified Chinese) / Russia / English_UK / Arabic / French_FR / German_DE / Italian_IT / Spanish_ES / Swedish / Japanese / Polish / Turkish / Greek / Hebrew / Korean / Czech / Hungarian / Romanian / Thai.
Us & Our Planet: This is How We Live will be available at phaidon.com or elsewhere where books are being sold, and are available in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish.
