IKEA Introduces VARPTROSS Family of Lighting

June 23, 2026  by Karen Parrish in Business Strategy, Designer Weekly, Industry   

Handwoven products have long been part of the IKEA design heritage. From the first plaited furniture pieces in the 1950s to today’s woven furniture, baskets, and lamps, handcraft continues to bring texture, character and a human touch into the home.

With the VARPTROSS series, IKEA wants to explore how traditional handmade techniques can live comfortably within a modern, global range, combining heritage craftsmanship with contemporary design and affordable prices for the many people.

Chiara Ripalti, the Product Developer of the new series, talks about the starting point for the VARPTROSS products, “The goal was to develop lighting made from natural fiber that would resonate with IKEA customers across the world. Insights showed that handcrafted natural fiber products are less popular in Asia, where the market is already saturated with handwoven bamboo and rattan items. At the same time, customers in these markets tend to appreciate forms rooted in industrial design. From the start, the aim was to move beyond the traditional lantern aesthetic and create designs that feel more streamlined and refined. By combining natural materials and craftsmanship with a contemporary design approach, the intention was to create something that could appeal to a broad audience”.

Early on, Chiara felt that a project combining handcraft with an industrial design approach would benefit from two different design perspectives. She brought together Andreas Fredriksson and Akanksha Deo, both IKEA designers, but with different backgrounds and expertise. Andreas brings a broad experience in furniture and product design, rooted in Scandinavian tradition and guided by a strong focus on form, function, and longevity. Akanksha, with deep knowledge of textiles, materials, and craft traditions, approaches design through material behavior, tactility, and the human story behind every product.

The design process started quite traditionally – with the design brief – where Akanksha and Andreas were tasked to design a family of lamps – including floor, pendant, wall and table versions – that would bring a new expression to natural fiber lighting. Bamboo, a fast naturally regrowing grass, became the foundation of the design.

“We looked at the existing samples of weaving techniques and realized that there was nothing we could use as is – for the architectural, almost rectangular shapes we had in mind. After many design iterations, we landed on the crisscross weaving combined with double layer of slats, which is unique”, says Andreas Fredrikson.

The collaboration of the two designers introduced a natural creative tension into the project – between precision and softness, structure and spontaneity, restraint and expression. Through close dialogue and many tests and tries, the contrast between Andreas’ rational, profound approach and Akanksha’s intuitive, material-driven viewpoint helped to expand the design beyond familiar natural fiber expressions.

The designers worked closely with the product developer Chiara Ripalti and IKEA supplier in Vietnam, spending long days on the factory floor experimenting with the interplay of materials and light, looking at new prototypes handmade by the weavers.

“Many ideas for VARPTROSS lamps were born on the factory floor in Vietnam. How do we create a glare-free glow? How wide should the slats be, how close should they be? After many attempts, we decided to balance the straight lines of the slats by gently rounding them, as well as to put the slats in two layers”, Akanksha Deo points out.

In the final design, the bamboo slats are carefully cut, bent and assembled by hand into softly rounded shapes that balance precision with warmth. One of the defining features of VARPTROSS is its double‑layer construction. Two layers of bamboo slats are placed in an alternating pattern to gently block the light source, reducing glare while allowing light to flow through the gaps. Proportions, radius, slat width and spacing were refined through many iterations to ensure the lamps feel light, well‑balanced and harmonious across the full family.
 

The VARPTROSS series was developed using a combination of handmade techniques and industrial processes – a balance IKEA continues to explore across its range. While certain steps, such as cutting bamboo slats, are supported by machinery for consistency and efficiency, much of the work is done by hand by weavers, drawing on techniques that have been passed through generations. Weaving, tying, and assembling are carried out by skilled craftspeople.

Working with local suppliers and weavers enables IKEA to integrate handmade techniques responsibly within its supply chain. Like all IKEA products, VARPTROSS lighting solutions are produced in line with IWAY – the IKEA way for responsible sourcing – which sets clear requirements for environmental, social and working conditions.

The VARPTROSS series reflects IKEA ongoing exploration of how natural materials, traditional handicraft, innovation and production efficiency can exist side by side. By combining handmade techniques and contemporary design, the lamps bring warmth, softness and calm light into everyday homes. They are designed to live with, to age beautifully, and to bring the quiet presence of handcraft, care, and natural materials into everyday life.