In a time when environmental issues are increasingly in the spotlight, one family team from Serbia decided to combine their values, knowledge, and unity into a unique business model that promotes the circular economy through play.
Their handmade board games, crafted from natural and recycled materials, are not just products but also messages. Messages about how the circular economy can be communicated through simple yet deeply thoughtful tools that connect generations, encourage creativity, and bring people back together around the same table.
Vladimir Ilić, who is in charge of sales and client communication in the family brand Wood Play, says that the idea originated from a personal family experience – memories of games his father made when he was a child. Today, those memories have been transformed into a sustainable product that brings people of all ages together, with applications ranging from family events to educational programs and even corporate settings.
“My father has always been passionate about making things from wood. While we were growing up, he made all kinds of items for my sister and me – chairs, toys, various wooden objects – and that’s when he sparked our love for working with wood,” says Vladimir.
A Business Model Based on Circularity and Togetherness
At the heart of the model lies a team-based division of labor within the family, encompassing brand development, design, production, testing, and logistics. Vladimir’s wife, Jelena, and sister, Jovana, handle visual identity and communication, while their mother, Gordana, manages accounting. The two Milošes – Vladimir’s father and brother-inlaw – are responsible for the actual production, working mainly with plywood and panels made from recycled Tetra Pak materials.
Thanks to this structure, the family has developed a flexible, sustainable, and scalable product suited for various markets.
Their games are rented out for corporate team-building events, Family Day gatherings, Fun Room spaces, and fairs. Delivery is organized directly, accompanied by personalized presentations, and the games come with QR codes linking to instructions, which makes the usage process as simple as possible.
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In addition to offering a new form of entertainment for all age groups, the Wood Play brand also has an environmental component. Vladimir explains that all surplus material is either reused or recycled, while every stage, from prototype to final product, is designed according to the principles of zero waste.
“We collect all Tetra Pak waste and send it for recycling, where the material is ground down and given a new life. We use recycled boards to create educational games. At fairs and charity events, we raise awareness by setting up bins for collecting used cans, juice boxes, and cartons, then hold lectures on recycling and send all collected materials to recycling factories,” our interviewee explains.
Play as a Tool for Education and Raising Awareness
The most popular games – such as CenterShoot, Fishing, and Wembley – are designed to promote interaction, precision, and team spirit. Their strength lies in their universality – they are suitable for children, adults, educators, and even HR departments seeking innovative ways to enhance team dynamics.
In developing new games, the family employs a testing method in real-life conditions, progressing from initial cardboard prototypes to final versions crafted from durable and recycled materials. Every game must meet essential criteria: it must be fun, simple, inclusive, and educational.
Plans for a Broader Social and Environmental Mission
In the next stages of development, this family plans to equip eco-parks where children will learn about recycling, circular economy, and sustainable behavior through play. Moreover, the first digital detox park was already opened on June 1st in Divci, Divčibare, at the Sports Airport. In parallel, Vladimir says they are also developing a line of home toys, created with the same principles: functionality, durability, eco-friendly materials, and family interaction.
This initiative demonstrates that sustainable models are not exclusive to large systems – they can emerge from a single family, a single memory, or a single game. And for that very reason, they hold the power to inspire change, step by step, game by game.
Prepared by Milena Maglovski
The story was published in Energy portal Magazine PURE ENERGY
