Every story has a beginning — and ours started with an idea that refused to fade away. For months, it stayed in our minds, growing stronger each day, until on November 2, 2021, the very first Gleam Layer lightbox was born.
At that time, I decided to invest in my first 3D printer and learn how to bring our ideas to life in a more efficient way. It wasn’t easy — in fact, it was frustrating. There were moments when I almost gave up. The printer sat in a corner for months, gathering dust. I looked at it many times, even thought about selling it.
But, being as stubborn as I am, I decided to give it one last try.
My partner was essential in this journey — her 3D modeling knowledge combined with my graphic design background gave life to our first lightboxes. The following months were filled with prototypes, adjustments, and long nights improving designs and finding ways to reduce production costs.
We started giving our early creations to friends and family, asking for feedback. Then, one day, an order came in — someone wanted to gift one of our lightboxes to someone else. That’s when we realized we had something special and that it was time to go further.
Without many resources or experience, we decided to take a risk and launch our products on a marketplace. The fees were high, but it was a place to be seen — and it worked.
We were amazed by how much people appreciated our work. The support from people around the world gave us the strength to keep going and to believe in what we were building.
(Our first order! Thank you Tyler)
It’s worth saying that, at this time, we both still had full-time jobs.
Then came 2023 — a storm of challenges and growth. We faced many battles, but we kept pushing. At one point, we had almost 20 printers running at full capacity, all in our living room. Our home became a mini warehouse, filled with boxes and packages ready to ship. We ended that year with 900 orders, proud and hungry for more.
Then came a year of intense growth and even greater challenges. Our living room turned into a small production studio, with multiple printers running day and night and boxes stacked everywhere, ready to ship. It was exhausting, but incredibly rewarding to see our creations finding their way into so many homes.
Eventually, the balance between our day jobs and the growing business became unsustainable. I made the decision to dedicate myself fully to Gleam Layer — a leap of faith that changed everything.
That period brought huge transformations, both in our lives and in the company. We restructured completely, investing in fewer but far more capable machines and focusing on efficiency and quality.
We also realized that while marketplaces helped us grow, they were also limiting our potential. So we made the bold decision to move fully to our own platform — our website, our rules, our freedom. It was a big risk, but it allowed us to shape Gleam Layer exactly as we envisioned it.
Since then, every year has brought new challenges, lessons, and victories. Each step, no matter how small, has been part of building something meaningful.
💡 A Journey Built on Light and Dedication
From a simple idea to a growing brand known for originality, craftsmanship, and passion, Gleam Layer represents more than just a business — it’s a story of persistence, creativity, and heart.
To everyone who has supported us, shared our work, or brought a piece of Gleam Layer into their home thank you! Your trust and encouragement keep our lights shining, one box at a time.
Here’s to the past, the present, and all the bright moments ahead.
✨ Happy 4th Anniversary, Gleam Layer.