A collection of cushion covers created by women artisans from the Jordan River Foundation in Jordan. Each cushion cover is unique, as the artisan herself has chosen the colour and placement of the embroidery and has stitched it all by hand.
IKEA is always striving to find new ways of making a better everyday life, and therefore works with various social entrepreneurs around the world. The partnership with Jordan River Foundation gives IKEA access to rare handicraft skills and the ability to offer unique products. It also creates jobs and stable income for women artisans. The TILLTALANDE collection also included a rug and seating cushions.
Jordan, population nine million, has taken in almost 700,000 refugees since 2011, some of them from war-torn Syria. This has brought social challenges that the Jordan River Foundation is trying to alleviate. IKEA started working with the Foundation to see how it could help. It resulted in the TILLTALANDE collection of textile products made by women forced to flee their homes.
Paulin Machado, IKEA designer, and Faridon Arbida, designer at Jordan River Foundation, worked with the women at one of JRF’s production centres when creating the collection. “It was a dynamic collaboration and we learned a lot from each other. I made a basis which the women could them put their own stamp on. On the cushions with camel print the saddles and palm trees are hand-embroidered and placed where the artisans feel it is most suitable. The skill of the women is amazing. If we spoke an idea out loud, within 15 minutes they had something to show us and wondered if this was what we meant. It was incredible!” says Paulin.
TILLTALANDE cushion covers are still sold at IKEA in 2021.
