Nowhere among the new collaborations that were showcased during Democratic Design Days is IKEA’s passion for sustainability more evident than in the TÄNKVÄRD collection—yes, all collections are a handful to pronounce—that is based on the use of natural fibers such as rattan, cotton, linen, jute and seagrass. Designed by Nike Karlsson, Iina Vuorivirta and Akanksha Deo with both sustainability and flexibility in mind, the textiles and light-weight rattan furniture that make up the collection, besides being eco-friendly in production terms are also versatile in function, whereby a room divider also works as a clothes hanger, and a storage basket doubles as a bag. Minimal in sensibility and inspired by Indian craftsmanship, they are items one can easily use at home, the park or the beach.

As minimal but more playful is ÖVERALLT, a collection which also turned to a far flung destination for inspiration, Africa in this case, by inviting ten African designers working in fashion, sculpture, architecture, and furniture design to collaborate with five IKEA designers on modern urban rituals. The lineup they created range from tableware, seating and textiles to a basket by Senegalese fashion designer and artist Selly Raby Kane and IKEA-designer Iina Vuorivirta inspired by modern hair braiding rituals. More than a sleek, fun object, for Kane the braiding technique “stands for creativity, power, art, sometimes even a coded language”.

Tapping into the artistry of local craftspeople from developing countries is also the basis for the ANNANSTANS collection, although in this case, IKEA and Swedish textile designer Martin Bergström’s collaboration has not only resulted in the creation of a line of beautiful products but also the creation of jobs in rural India, Romania and Thailand. Ranging from cushion covers and bags, to ceramic bowls and banana fiber baskets that mix the artisans’ skills and traditions with Bergström’s ideas, the hand-crafted collection is a vibrant collage of colours and patterns.

Undoubtedly, the most unexpected and subversive collection is FÖREMÅL, the brainchild of iconic Swedish ceramic and glass artist Per B Sundberg, aka Pelle. With a reputation as a rebel and provocateur, Pelle’s work challenges our preconceived ideas of beauty and ugliness by appropriating the figurative language of vintage decorative objects and other folkloric knickknacks, many of which the artist finds in flea markets. For this lineup of small decorative objects, Pelle’s designs also reference Swedish egg cartons from the 70’s, his own pyjamas and his favourite pink shirt, mischievously combining the peculiar with the familiar to create a burlesque collection that includes skull-shaped terracotta vases, poodle candleholders and a series of cushions printed with playful symmetrical patterns. Pelle’s maximalist aesthetic may run counter to IKEA’s less is more mantra, but that is the point. As creative Leader Nike Karlsson explains about the collection, “If you’ve bought a Per B Sundberg, you take something home with you that is more than you normally get at IKEA”.

For the FÖRNYAD collection IKEA teamed up with Sarah Andelman, founder of Colette, the chic Parisian concept store that alas closed its doors last year, and Australian-born, New York-based artist Craig Redman who is known for his one-eyed, egg-shaped alter-ego Darcel Disappoints. Andelman and Redman’s collection, who have been collaborating on and off for nearly a decade, is a celebration of student life featuring stationary, notebooks, desk lighting, stools and trash bins that have been rendered in playful patterns, colours and sizes. FÖRNYAD, which means renewed in Swedish, also takes on a few IKEA classics such as the iconic FRAKTA shopping tote and the KLIPPAN sofa, both of which feature a new pattern called “Tuileries”, which mixes the graphics of park life with Colette’s blue dots and Darcel’s iconography.

Other highlights at this year’s Democratic Design Days include FREKVENS, a modular system of speakers and light fittings in the form of cubes that can be arranged at will, and MARKERAD, a collaboration between IKEA and fashion designer Virgil Abloh, founder of Off-White and menswear designer for Louis Vuitton, inspired by IKEA’s product labels, store signs and other paraphernalia. Abloh’s subversive designs include a range of statement rugs featuring slogans such as “Keep Off”, emblazoned against black and white Persian motifs, and “STILL LOADING” with a partial screensaver image on the background.

With future collaborations that include companies such as American tech brand Sonos, sports giant Adidas and toy purveyor Lego that attempt to revolutionize how we listen to music, exercise and play while at home, and with upcoming products such as a tap nozzle to combat water scarcity in partnership with the innovative start-up Altered:Company, and a portable solar light by Olafur Eliasson to explore the potential of off-the-grid solutions for those living without electricity, IKEA’s stated goal of making everyday life better for as many of us as possible seems closer than ever.