Designing for the tastes of people around the world

Do you sometimes cook dishes from other cultures? Then you’re part of an international trend called transculturalism. It basically means that global cooking and eating habits are a lot more similar than you may think. How can we cater for this trend? We designed the VARDAGEN series with products that can be used in multiple ways. In Swedish, VARDAGEN means “every day”, which is just how the products are meant to be used, no matter where you live.

“Consumers have access to cultural diversity in cooking and eating from all over the world,” explains Ina Tidbeck Sjöblom, who helped create the products. “They want to taste the best of all cultures, which means that it’s not only in Asia that we need eating products for sushi.”

Creating products for all our differences (and similarities)

The VARDAGEN products are designed to turn differences into similarities. Like the eggcup. “We did it in a shape that it’s more like a very small dip bowl,” explains Ina. “So it’s also for Asian eating, you know the bowl where you put chili paste and other condiments.” Another bowl has just the right size and shape to be a rice bowl in Asia, but it can also be used as a side-salad or cereal bowl.

Answering the global demand for durability

VARDAGEN is uniquely suited to the global market—catering to the different needs of eaters. One thing people all over the world seem to agree on is the importance of durability. “We know from all the studies and research we do that people don’t want to buy and throw away things, they want to buy something that lasts,” says Ina. That’s why VARDAGEN is made from durable and sustainable materials, like glass, porcelain and stainless steel. That means, just like the name VARDAGEN suggests, they’ll be useful every day for many days to come.