# IKEA Chain of Traceability - Blockchain-based Digital Twins

> IKEA's Research Lab SPACE10 developed the concept project 'Chain of Traceability' in cooperation with FIELD.IO, combining blockchain technology with augmented reality. The system creates digital twins of household objects that are registered on a blockchain and store detailed information about production history, materials used, and carbon footprint. Customers can access this information directly on the product through AR technology and receive complete transparency about the manufacturing chain.

**Sector:** Tertiary sector · **Industry:** Retail · **Organisation:** IKEA · **Maturity level:** Concept

Canonical URL: https://www.sapientblock.com/en/use-cases/ikea-produktherkunft-beim-kauf-sichtbar-machen

## Documentation status

- **Project status:** Concept
- **Evidence:** Evidence medium
- **Editorial review:** Ufuk Avci, 15 April 2026

## Description

IKEA Space10 — an independently operating research and design lab supported by the IKEA brand — developed the experiment "Chain of Traceability" with the design studio Field.io. It is one of six studies in the "Everyday Experiments" series on Privacy & Trust. The premise: What if every household object were registered on the blockchain — with complete production history, material composition, and CO₂ footprint, accessible via Augmented Reality? This is a research concept, not a deployed production system.

IKEA Space10 published the "Chain of Traceability" study as part of the "Everyday Experiments" series. Core concept: Every everyday object receives a digital twin on the blockchain. Users can scan the physical object with an AR app (similar to Google Lens with AI object recognition) and display its full history as a "product signature" — from raw material origin through processing steps to the CO₂ footprint of each transport leg. The study’s example product is the MAMMUT stool made of polypropylene: The material is bio-based plastic from plant oil, produced in China, processed in Europe, injection-moulded in India — accumulating a footprint along the way that the bio-based material alone would not suggest. The study also shows potential for the circular economy: products indicate how and for what purpose they can be reused at the end of their lifecycle. Frederick Axén, Digital Manager IKEA: "By bringing technology into our homes, we wanted to explore how it can be part of our everyday lives while we feel safe and free in our spaces."

## Benefits

- Companies can justify premium prices for sustainable products through verifiable transparency and attract new customer-conscious target groups.
- Customers gain access to complete and verified product information that helps them make sustainable and ethical purchasing decisions.
- The system creates full transparency in the supply chain and enables consumers to make informed purchasing decisions.
- The combination of blockchain and AR offers an innovative and trustworthy customer experience that clearly differs from conventional product presentations.
- Companies can credibly document their sustainability efforts and position themselves as pioneers of transparent trade.
- Sales staff receive a powerful tool for customer advice and can present complex product information visually and interactively.

## Challenges

- Companies must digitise their entire supply chain and may need to change partners who are unwilling to provide transparent data.
- Integrating blockchain technology and AR requires significant technical expertise and investments in new infrastructures.
- Capturing and standardising production data along the entire supply chain presents a complex organisational challenge.
- Employees need comprehensive training in new technologies and must learn to explain complex data analyses understandably to customers.

## Technology foundation

The system uses blockchain technology as an immutable database in which every product is registered with its complete manufacturing information. The blockchain is particularly suitable for this use case as it enables tamper-proof records across the entire supply chain and builds trust among all involved parties.

## Sources

- [Chain of Traceability - FIELD.IO](https://field.io/work/ikea-space10-chain-of-traceability)
- [Digital experiments explores how technology can connect and protect us](https://www.ikea.com/global/en/newsroom/innovation/digital-experiments-explores-how-technology-can-connect-and-protect-us-210526/)