> [!NOTE]+ Meta > Author:: Alicia Brunker > Reference:: https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/why-swedish-design-brands-hiring-syrian-refugees-ikea > Date:: 2018-03-13 > Tags:: #Sweden > WeftLinks:: [[Migrant and refugee value of craft]] ### Summary In Sweden, Syrian refugees fill an employment gap for furniture makers. > Beyond in-store sewing services, IKEA has recently teamed up with the [Jordan River Foundation,](https://www.jordanriver.jo/en) opening up a production center in Amman, which is near the country’s refugee camps (some of which feature the [Better Shelter,](https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/this-ikea-refugee-shelter-is-the-best-design-of-2016) an upgraded tent designed in part by an IKEA team). At the facility, the Jordanians and an IKEA designer collaborated on a new range of textiles—including pillows, rugs, and baskets—that meld both culture’s styles into a single object. “You’ll find the pieces to be modern, but they have some local flavor with bright fabrics and patterns,” says Misra. “Their multicolored prints tell a story, and have been passed down by family members for generations.”