I. Discovering "Forgotten Warmth" in the Assembly Line

Sheng - the founder used to work as a designer at a factory for electronic enclosures in a big city. Every day, he faced the dull world of metal parts, standard molds, and cold technical specs. The electronic cigarette cases, phone covers, and external hard drive shells he designed were merely mass-produced items—labeled, shipped across the country, and eventually forgotten in corners.

Yet, during a business trip, he occasionally wandered into a remote village, where an elderly craftsman was engraving a tribal totem onto an aluminum sheet. The lines were rough, yet full of vitality. The old man said, "Every stroke carries the stories our ancestors told us." In that moment, he was struck—suddenly realizing that although they had manufactured countless "shells," they had forgotten that these casings could also have souls.

He made the decision to resign and start his own venture—a design studio named "Aile." Aile means "happiness born from love" in Chinese.Their mission wasn't simply to produce protective cases, but to create "containers of life that people would remember."

II. Letting Metal Speak the Language of Life and Poetry

Returning to Dongguan, he gathered a group of like-minded young designers and seasoned artisans with decades of industry experience, launching a "gentle revolution":

● Infusing Electronic Cigarette Aluminum Casings with Local Culture and Nature: They visited creative material companies and explored nature. They combined local cultural styles with the beauty of the natural world. Through digital reconstruction, CNC precision carving, and anodizing techniques, each texture was designed to carry a unique memory. One young user, upon seeing the design, remarked: "Every time I look at this pattern and feel its texture, I experience a special sense of calm—like escaping the noise, finding comfort that belongs only to me. What I truly needed wasn't smoke, but this serenity that vaping provided."

Carving Landscapes into External Hard Drives: They created small versions of traditional Chinese ink-wash paintings. These show "distant mountains and nearby waters." The designs are carefully engraved on aluminum alloy surfaces and have a soft-touch coating. A photographer commented: "I've captured countless photos and seen countless beautiful scenes, but only when I hold this small hard drive do I truly feel I'm holding my own world. I store all the beauty I've witnessed inside it. When I look out the window, I see poetry and distant horizons; in my hands, I hold the landscapes of my youth."

● Giving Phone Cases Souls That Show Individuality: They launched the "Emotion Customization Series." Some cases have heartfelt messages after breakups. Others feature final portraits of beloved pets. Some even have patterns from favorite anime. Designers transformed these personal stories into unique visual art, etched onto metal cases. Each phone case became a "slice of life," precious and inherently valuable—so much so that it could seem mere affordable,even expensive, because it was truly priceless and unique for one own.

III. When Design Meets Real Life

In the second year of startup, the fullness of ideals could not withstand the harsh reality. Design inspiration flourished faster than expenses could keep up. Art is niche—after all, it belongs only to a select few.

But when he saw the cartoon-shaped electric toothbrush case he had handmade for his daughter, he smiled. It was so simple to make a naughty child enjoy brushing her teeth.

When a mother of a girl with aphasia commissioned a phone case—featuring her daughter signing "I love you" in sign language—he was deeply moved. "Who would have thought a simple case could bring tears to someone's eyes?"

Mr. Sheng has a strong belief. He says, "What we sell isn't just a case. It's a way to express feelings. It's part of life’s rituals. It reminds us that 'life should be beautiful.'"

IV. Let the hardest metal carry the softest moments of life

Today, Aile's brand "Coboggi" is more than an accessory label in China. It has become a platform for sharing a lifestyle philosophy. They launched the "Life Inspiration Project"—inviting ordinary people to share their personal stories, which designers then transform into tangible products, with a portion of the proceeds returned to the original storytellers.

They say: "Every design injects a spark of life’s inspiration; every use adds emotional value. We don’t manufacture cases—we illuminate lives."

Engraved on the wall of their workshop is a sentence: "Even the hardest metal can carry the softest moments of life."

V. Life Can Be So Unique

Standing in the workshop, Sheng watches aluminum enclosures being laser-etched on the assembly line. They are no longer cold and lifeless. They now breathe with totems. They carry the calm of mountains and rivers. They show the unspoken love and pain of many people.

He says, "We once thought life was just about following a routine. But in truth—life can be so uniquely beautiful."

Sheng always says: "Our brand doesn’t need to be loud or famous. We can quietly pass on strength through ODM/OEM collaborations with other creative brands, letting customers recognize our design elements and our artisan spirit.

We hope more people can come to realize:

● A case is not just protection—it’s self-expression.

● Carving life into metal, lighting up emotions through lines.

● Life can be so uniquely beautiful—because you deserve to be seen.