When Sarah Fager designed an armchair for the IKEA PS 2017 collection, she wanted to make something “really comfortable for everyone who lives in small spaces”. The result was an armchair that was easy to carry, almost transparent and with optimum sitting comfort.
The chair was manufactured using a technique called 3D knitting, giving it a light, almost transparent surface. This was the first time IKEA used a computerised 3D technology to weave the textile used for the chair, along with a powder-coated steel frame. The technique is the same as the one used when making trainers.
The chair was part of the IKEA PS 2017 collection, which went under the motto “Live it!”. The collection was intended for everyone who truly valued their independence. It was about a lifestyle in which people could see all the opportunities a free life could offer. When it came to furniture, it was about choosing things that offered the greatest possible flexibility. Things that were easy to pick up and move around, either within the home or from one home to another. IKEA wanted to make furniture that liberated rather than weighed down.
Designer Sarah Fager herself compared her armchair to a beloved pair of trainers: “3D knitting technology is also often used to make colourful trainers, which I love. This armchair can endure many years of wear without its shape being distorted, just like a nice pair of trainers!”
In 2017 the chair received the international design prize, Red Dot Award. It came in two colour schemes: one grey and one purple/blue. The armchair was sold at IKEA until 2020.
