EP.03: Designing Sustainable Living in Taiwan: How IKEA is Rethinking Furniture

Released on Earth Day, this episode asks a simple but important question: What can sustainability actually look like in everyday life? In this episode of The Energy Between, we speak with IKEA Taiwan to explore how sustainability is being approached, from product design and materials to evolving business models. As one of the world’s largest home furnishing retailers, IKEA operates at a significant scale. This conversation touches on how that scale shapes its approach to sustainability in Taiwan. We also explore shifts in areas such as circularity, consumer behaviour, and new ways of accessing furniture — and what they might mean going forward. 🌟 JIABA – Joint Impact Accelerator for Better Agrifood A collaboration between Social Enterprise Insights (SEI) and IKEA Social Entrepreneurship, supported by IKEA Taiwan. Apply before 14 June 2026: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/social-enterprise-insights-%E7%A4%BE%E4%BC%81%E6%B5%81_thoughtpartnerabrandabrleadmentor-experiencesharing-activity-7442356967051862016-heqI?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAADbaxfkBNgVWxLZ5zuhd5TMgnPjhnnq7vs4 ⏱️ Episode Highlights How IKEA integrates sustainability into product design through “democratic design” The potential of circular models in Taiwan, including furniture leasing and second-hand markets How Taiwanese consumers are responding to sustainable and pre-owned products The role of business models in enabling (or limiting) sustainability Supporting local impact through social enterprise collaboration 🎙️ Speakers Guests: Hugo Asplund, Group Sustainability and Food Transformation Manager of Indonesia, HK, Macao, TW, DFI IKEA Huan Chou, IKEA for Business (B2B) Manager of North Asia, DFI IKEA Hosts: Raoul Kubitschek 孔榮, Chairman, Taiwan Renewable Energy Alliance Annie Shih 施語嫻, Energy Transition & Sustainability Officer, European Chamber of Commerce Taiwan Apple Podcast: https://pse.is/7xp4wn Sound On:https://pse.is/7xp53k Spotify:https://pse.is/7xp56k KKBOX:https://pse.is/7xp57k ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ ＼We’re looking for friends!／ Join our Instagram and Facebook group to connect with the community: https://linktr.ee/trena_taiwan If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to leave us a message, send an email, or fill out the form below! Email: [email protected] Tell us what you think about this episode: https://forms.gle/QPngKHKrhum6QVcn6