Ikea began in 1943 as a mail-order business in the small town of Älmhult, Kronoberg in southern Sweden. Today, Ikea has grown to become a global home furnishing brand with an unequaled reputation in 49 countries around the world. In line with its vision “to create a better everyday life for the many people,” Ikea brings its philosophy of democratic design to bear on every aspect of its products, from form to function, quality, sustainability, and low price, and on every phase of its work from product development to production, supply, and sales.