Ikea has no patina

Why do we to choose to use certain things.

The idea of a discerning consumer is something that I grapple with a lot. Discerning being the capacity to tell when something is of a certain standard or quality.

But what does a certain standard mean?

In stuff like carpentry, workmanship is unmistakable. What wood is used. How you treat the wood. The design of a piece. The quality of the joints. The fit and finish of the final product. How robust it is. It’s easy to tell what makes a piece of furniture durable, lasting, beautiful and timeless. The beauty part is the only subjective bit. You may think something is too ornate or too brutalist or too simple. But you can’t argue it took effort and time to achieve a certain finished piece with refinement and durability.

Now with clothes, books, shoes, metal work, homes, food, drink and even transportation, you can tell when something is built with more care, refinement and durability. Craftsmanship is apparent and intent is palpable.

It starts to get blurry when we move to mass-produced objects.

My daughter’s room has an Ikea cabinet and a heirloom piece I picked up from an antique shop. The Ikea piece has a reputation for being good design. Some call it a classic. It can never be moved though. And it will not make it past the ten year mark. And it’s MDF boards can never be repurposed.

The antique piece is a teak cupboard. It’s 50 years old. It can be repaired, repolished and restored. The wood can even be recycled. I think it is a handsome cupboard and no one could disagree. It could have used a little more depth for its height. But that’s just a nitpick.

Which is the better piece according to you? I have both. And I knew why the Ikea made sense for our context.

My gym equipment does not look as refined or as polished as a piece from any brand. But it will outlast any piece by virtue of what it is made from. And it can be repaired too. And some of the piece’s we have made can be tweaked or repurposed without wastage. These are measured choices.

And I see this with bags. Wildcrafts are rarely repairable. Goruck’s can be. But they cost a tonne more. I see it with sandals. My Luna’s are repairable. The rubber soles far more durable than cheaper brands. But the Xero’s are thinner, flimsier and cheaper.

I think being a discerning consumer means to ask substantial questions. On the why and how something is made. And also what do you value about the object? Have you considered the trade-offs, compromises versus utility?

The problem with this approach. You can’t just listen to what companies are saying. You can’t fall for marketing, branding or trade talk. You have to try to understand how something is made. You realize things like cruelty-free or sustainable are just buzz words. Consumption as an act is destructive. Asking why you use something is more important than what you are using.