Our Story: The Engineer's Journey to a Meaningful Gift
If you've ever felt like you were following a perfect map, only to find yourself lost, then you already know a part of my story. Hi, I'm Krystal, the founder of Starry Prints. My story probably isn't what you'd expect from a gift shop owner. My background isn't in retail or design; it's in biomedical engineering.
The Blueprint for a Perfect Life
At one of the top tech universities in the Netherlands, I was trained to see the world as a series of complex, interconnected systems. My master's thesis, which scored a 9 out of 10, was focused on the most complex system of all: the human body. My passion has always been understanding the intricate mechanics of what makes us, us.
Master's degree in hand, sunglasses on. This photo pretty much sums up how I felt at the peak of my academic life: proud, happy, and thinking I had the future all mapped out. (Spoiler: the map was about to change.)
A System I Couldn't Solve: My Own
But after graduation, I took a detour. I became an electronics engineer in a field far removed from the human-centric world I was so fascinated by. Surrounded by circuits and code instead of cells and systems, a creeping sense of disconnect began to grow. I was successful on paper, but I felt like a hollow shell, pushed along by a life that wasn't truly my own. I had lost the "why".
This was my world before Starry Prints, I had many tools to understand the world outside, but none for the world within.
To find it again, I turned to the one subject that felt like coming home: cognitive science. What started as a casual interest quickly became a passion. In the pages of those books, I wasn't just reading about neural pathways and cognitive biases; I was discovering the blueprint for human connection, the user manual for how we experience joy, memory, and meaning.
This is where everything changed.
I began to see these scientific principles everywhere. I understood why a gift handmade by a child feels more precious than something expensive (the effort heuristic). I understood why an inside joke shared between friends is the most powerful social glue (shared reality theory).
And I realized my engineering background and my newfound passion weren't separate paths. They were two sides of the same coin. An engineer's job is to solve problems. And what bigger problem is there than the feeling of disconnection in our modern world?
So, in 2021, I made a decision that wasn't impulsive, but inevitable. I left my engineering job to start Starry Prints. This shop became my laboratory—a place to test a single, powerful hypothesis: Can we use the science of connection to engineer moments of genuine happiness?
It began with designs I found beautiful. But the real breakthrough came when I introduced customizable products. The response was overwhelming. Reading reviews from customers who were moved to tears by a personalized gift wasn't just heartwarming—it was data. It was proof of a powerful psychological principle: when you actively participate in the creation of something, it becomes a part of your story. It gains a value that money can't buy.
Our Philosophy: Beyond Consumerism
This is why Starry Prints exists. We're not here to sell you more "stuff." We're here to offer you tools. Tools to make your everyday essentials—a coffee mug, a doormat—a little more you. Tools to transform a simple object into a vessel for a memory, an inside joke, or a declaration of love.
This is my new beginning. My mission is to blend my knowledge as an engineer and my passion for cognitive science to build a brand that helps you celebrate the connections that truly matter.
Thank you for being here. This is more than my journey; I hope it can be part of yours, too.
Why "Starry Prints"? Because Everyone Has a Constellation.
When I felt most lost in my career, adrift in a job that didn't align with my soul, I often felt like I was navigating in complete darkness. I was searching for a guide, a North Star to show me the way forward. For me, the illuminating principles of cognitive science became those stars, lighting up a new path. That's the personal root of "Starry".
But the name quickly grew to mean something much bigger, something about you.
We all have stars in our lives—those brilliantly shining people, irreplaceable moments, and cherished memories that guide us, define us, and bring us light. Your child’s first drawing, the goofy face your partner makes, the memory of a beloved pet. Together, they form your own unique constellation, the story of your universe.
That is the "Starry" part. It represents the beautiful, intangible, and deeply personal moments that make your life yours.
The "Prints" part is my inner engineer at work. It's the tangible part. It’s our mission to take that beautiful, fleeting starlight—that feeling, that memory, that connection—and create a physical impression of it. We help you make a permanent, tangible print of what matters most.
So, Starry Prints is more than our name. It's our entire philosophy.
It’s our commitment to helping you celebrate the brightest stars in your personal constellation, turning their light into something you can hold, share, and cherish forever.
Thank you for being here. Your journey of finding the perfect, meaningful gift starts now.
Other Information
Design at: Blaak 520, 3011TA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
US Fulfillment Center: 16085 NW 52nd Ave Miami Gardens, FL 33014
Asia Fulfillment Center: C2FH+7HV, 20, Licheng District, Putian, Putian, Fujian, China, 351142
Email: info@starryprints.com
Chamber of Commerce: 82822956
VAT: NL003734873B14
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to Contact Us!