![](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/12/ikea-ps-2017-matali-crasset-furniture-chair-design_dezeen_herob-852x480.jpg)
3D-knitted furniture arrives at IKEA
After appearing in trainers and high-end furniture, 3D-knitting has arrived at IKEA in the form of its PS 2017 armchair.
Created for the Swedish furniture giant's experimental PS collection, the chair has a mesh back and sides stretched across a powder-coated steel frame.
The lightweight chair is produced through a digital knitting process most commonly associated with Nike's Flyknit, which was first used on the company's footwear in 2012.
![Ikea 3D knitted chair Sarah Fager furniture design](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/12/ikea-ps-2017-matali-crasset-furniture-chair-design_dezeen_2364_col_2-852x1137.jpg)
3D-knitting uses computer-controlled machines to knit fibres into complex, seamless shapes based on a digital design. The technique was originally developed in the garment industry but is gradually finding a new role in the world of furniture.
Swedish designer Jonas Forsman used it to create a folding chair for Moooi, and Benjamin Hubert's studio Layer a lounge chair for Moroso. Both applications created stretchy backrests, designed to recall the comfort of stretching back in a hammock.
The PS 2017 armchair was created by in-house designer Sarah Fager, who described the technique as one that was particularly suited to a global operation like IKEA's.
![Ikea 3D knitted chair Sarah Fager furniture design](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/12/ikea-ps-2017-matali-crasset-furniture-chair-design_dezeen_2364_col_1-852x638.jpg)
"At IKEA we have been curious about this 3D knitting technique for some time," said Fager. "We have all seen it being used in those colourful sneakers and it's a really smart way to produce things, since it's fully automised and this knitting machine can be placed at any supplier to combine it with other materials in a product."
The lightweight armchair is designed to look semi-transparent, lending limited living spaces a sense of "airy openness and space".
It is available in pink or grey with a white or black frame, and retails for £125.
![Ikea 3D knitted chair Sarah Fager furniture design](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/12/ikea-ps-2017-matali-crasset-furniture-chair-design_dezeen_2364_col_3-852x882.jpg)
According to IKEA, 3D-knitting produces durable furniture that can withstand years of wear and tear and regular stretching.
The 3D-knitted chair is part of the company's PS collection, which stands for post scriptum. It is renewed every three years with a different focus and set of designer collaborations.
The 2017 range is inspired by "mobility" and also features a caged lamp designed by Matali Crasset and modelled on traditional railway lighting.