Here in the Shapiro household, back-to-school prep is in full swing. It’s an exciting time. Our twins are about to start 8th grade and they are busy making their school gear their own.
Last weekend was all about using our Glowforge to customize their notebooks. My daughter took this picture to share:
It’s amazing to see their personalities reflected in what they create (and how they photograph it!). As they get older, I’m noticing how thoughtful they are with how they show up in the world. And Glowforge makes it possible for them to make things that are completely their own.
Now, not every kid has a laser at home to help bring their vision of the world to life.
Yet.
And that’s why our education efforts are so important to me - as we bring Glowforge technology to thousands of school districts across the country. We’re giving every child the opportunity to create their ideas, in exactly the way they want to.
This year, students in every state will experience the magic of creating with a laser. They’ll get to learn in completely new ways & create things they never thought possible, from creating scale models of the solar system, to personalizing each #2 pencil in their box.
This creative freedom is the future – Glowforge’s laser technology helps make it happen. From kindergarten to grad school, students and educators across the country are making their ideas a reality with their classrooms’ Glowforge printers. They’re creating a future where students think first about making the things they need, rather than just buying them.
And I get to watch a little bit of this future come to life in real time through the 2 thirteen year olds printing away in my garage.
(Side note – their first day of preschool feels like yesterday. How are they 13?!)
Alright, enough musing on the rapid passing of time and onto this month’s updates:
0% APR Financing
Over the years, tens of thousands of Glowforge owners have used their printers to earn extra money, start a small business, or become financially independent. We’ve heard a constant torrent of success stories from Glowforge owners like Catherine, whose home business paid for her Glowforge in just weeks, or Marissa, whose online shop was so popular that she bought a second printer.
But the broader economy has gotten tougher. Interest rates are going up, making it more difficult for people to get started today than it was just a few short months ago. That’s why we’re doing something new this month.
We’ve arranged for interest-free two-year loans from our partners at Affirm.
That means that until Aug 31, folks can apply to get as low as 0% APR on a Glowforge printer.
So, got a friend who’s thinking about a Glowforge? Share your referral code and they can get up to $500 off, you can get $500 cash, and they can apply for 0% APR.
Or thinking about a second Glowforge to scale your hobby into a business? Now’s the time! With 3-day shipping, your Glowforge could start paying for itself before you have to make the first payment.
This is a new experiment for us. We haven’t offered anything like this in the past, and we might not be able to again (it’s expensive for us!). But we wanted to try this experiment to help as many folks as possible get a Glowforge of their own. To read more about this offer, or to see if you qualify for 0% APR, click here.
Hobbycraft UK Partnership
I’m delighted to announce that Glowforge printers and Proofgrade material are now available at Hobbycraft locations in the UK and online at https://www.hobbycraft.co.uk! Hobbycraft is one of the top craft retailers in the UK. Our data showed that our customers there were more likely to purchase directly from them than from our website, so we’re now using them as our partner for all UK printer and Proofgrade sales.
UK customers will continue to have support-uk@glowforge.com as a one-stop shop for spare parts, warranty service, and general support.
Stock up for the school year
In addition to customizing every backpack, pencil case, & desk organizer, Glowforge is perfect for those last-minute school projects that are only remembered the night before the due date. And right now, Proofgrade Hardwoods, Light Plywoods, and microthin hardwood veneers are all 40% off, so you can stock up ahead of time for those inevitable “I forgot I need a diorama for tomorrow” moments. Draftboard is 25% off too – it’s perfect for testing out ideas before printing the final project.
And I have to say - the microthin veneers made of real hardwoods are the unappreciated Proofgrade heroes! Just a tiny square of a sheet makes a sticker that will transform any laptop, notebook, bottle, or box. It’s stunning, fast to print, and transforms nearly anything. They’re my favorite, and they’re almost half price!
Design of the Month: flowers times four
I’m excited because this month, we’re featuring not 1, not 2, but 4 colorful prints that Premium Members can access for free. Choose between 3 different bouquets – 6 sunflowers, 6 wildflowers, & 8 fronds of foliage – then print an etched vase in which to house your ever-lasting floral arrangement.
Browsing the designs Glowforge owners have submitted to the Catalog is one of my favorite things. And these are just a handful of over 1000 Catalog designs that you can print with your Glowforge. The possibilities are truly endless when you’re creating with a laser.
The Future of Making
This back-to-school season always feels full of possibility (even if you haven’t been in school for…well, a long time). There are new things to learn, new places to explore, and so many new things to create.
Glowforge takes these possibilities and makes them real. It takes technology out of industry and makes it accessible to a new generation, who can use it to build our future. Every print, even one as simple as the customized cover of a math notebook, gets us a little bit closer to that future. A future where anyone can create anything.
That’s all the updates I have for this month, so on that note I’m heading out to the garage to see what new ideas the twins have cooked up for customizing the rest of their school gear!
PS: You can discuss this update in the forum here!