Re:Play works with sustainable learning in preschool by offering educational toys, recycled materials, as well as knowledge and inspiration. Sigma Technology Informatics Solutions in Växjö has become Re:Play's digitalization partner and has developed an IT platform to facilitate the management of materials and knowledge flows between preschools and suppliers.
A company with a sustainable vision
Re:Play was founded in 2022 with the idea of contributing to a more sustainable society, focusing on the environment where the future begins – in Swedish preschools, for children and educators. The company provides recycled materials and residual materials for use in preschool activities and produces play and educational materials created from recycled materials with links to the curriculum. The materials used to make the educational materials are residual and waste materials from the manufacturing industry, which would otherwise have been thrown away or burned.
A digital platform for recycling
Re:Play contacted Sigma Technology in connection with the start-up to get help developing a IT platform.
– The software we develop for Re:Play aims to facilitate the management of materials and knowledge flows. Preschools should be able to easily buy, borrow or rent recycled materials via the system. The software also includes internal inventory management and basic functionality for companies in the industrial sector that contribute waste materials, says Philip Forsmark, software developer at Sigma Technology Informatics Solutions.
From idea to reality
The software is already used by Re:Play's customers, which now include preschools in Kronoberg County. In addition The IT platform Sigma Technology is building a sales portal, a rental system and a knowledge module.
– Together with municipalities and companies in Kronoberg County, we have identified a unique opportunity to create new value chains by reusing industrial waste materials as teaching materials for preschools. By developing a digital sharing platform, we make the material easily accessible to preschools, regardless of geographical location, and enable increased use of sustainable resources, says Pontus Albinzon, founder of Re:Play, and continues:
– The collaboration with Sigma and their development team has been invaluable to us as an early-stage entrepreneurial company. Their flexibility, responsiveness and innovative working methods have functioned as an extension of our team – almost like the employee we don’t yet have in our own organization. With Philip as our contact, a truly experienced and clever problem solver, it has felt incredibly safe to drive the project forward, even during periods when we have needed to focus on other tasks that naturally arise in a startup.
Technology that contributes to a sustainable future
– It has been a very rewarding and inspiring collaboration with Re:Play. Their vision of contributing to sustainable learning is in line with our vision of contributing to a better tomorrow. We are also proud that we were able to carry out this project with our development team and involve students from Linnaeus UniversityWe think it is important to show future systems scientists how technology can contribute to a sustainable society to actualize a career in tech, says Johan Ericsson, department manager at Sigma Technology Informatics Solutions.
Future projects in sustainable learning
The collaboration between Re:Play and Sigma Technology continues and in 2025 a new project linked to digitalization and a sustainable development environment will be launched in preschool taking shape in collaboration with students from Linnaeus University.
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