Hey everyone,
Ten years… Just a number, right? But behind it lies a long, incredible journey packed with emotions. There are moments when I stop and look back, wondering how we’ve come so far. From the early days of just a few young guys with big dreams in a tiny workshop, to sitting here today typing these words, my heart is overflowing with nostalgia, pride, and a gratitude I can’t even put into words.
This is our story – the story of Jelly Key, a tale of passion, sweat, tears, and those unforgettable bursts of joy over the past decade.
It didn’t start with Keycaps, It started with Sound (2012)
Our journey didn’t kick off with keycaps; it began with melodies. Back in 2012, my brothers and I were captivated by the world of handmade craftsmanship. We poured every ounce of our hearts into creating handmade headphones and custom in-ear monitors (CIEMs) under the name Joiha, or as we called it, Jelly Audio. I can still vividly recall that first design, the shaky excitement of finishing our very first product by hand. Joiha wasn’t just a starting point – it was our first teacher. It taught us the value of precision, the power of patience, and most importantly, how to infuse a “soul” into a crafted piece. That became the foundation for everything we’ve built since.
A leap of Faith and Passion (2015)
The world keeps moving, and so did we. In 2015, a stroke of fate introduced us to the mesmerizing realm of mechanical keyboards. We were hooked on the artisan keycaps of that era – a time when the market was simpler, yet some designs were timeless. And so, we made a bold call: to channel all our passion and experience from Joiha into giving birth to Jelly Key.
I’ll never forget the moment we finished our first keycap – Starry Night. A shimmering night sky with thousands of stars captured in a clear resin block, as if the entire universe rested at your fingertips. It wasn’t just a product; it was the embodiment of our dream: to bring the magic of the vast world onto your keyboard. In that moment, we knew we’d found our true path.
Sweat, Tears, and Timeless Masterpieces (2015 – 2025)
The years that followed were a whirlwind of unrelenting passion. There were sleepless nights, heartbreaking failed experiments, and those euphoric moments when an idea finally came to life. We never wanted to stop, because each keycap wasn’t just an object – it was a story, a journey.
If you’ve been with Jelly Key over these 10 years, you’ve seen us push boundaries and challenge ourselves at every turn:
- We were the first to craft transparent keycaps, ushering in a whole new era.
- We pioneered techniques like multi-layer wood cutting and assembly with the Oasis series (2016), brought vivid landscapes to life in Forbidden Dream, and used oil-based dyes for stunning effects in the EDEN series (2017).
- And there are countless other “firsts” we can’t even list. All I can say is, every failure was a lesson, and every experiment brought us one step closer to perfection.
We have also donated (and personally contributed) over $11,000 to charitable organizations through our keycap events. (Jelly Charity fund)
There is a fact that in 2017, we also designed and prototyped the Serenity – Mosaic keyboard case, the Zephyr keyboard, the Trinity kicker, we also made a wrist rest (probably the only one) called Navigator of Sea. All of these were just experiments, and some keyboard prototypes were given away in the Jelly Key Discord.
Each Jelly Key series is an adventure, a dream etched into reality:
- Constellation Enter The Star (2016) takes you on a quest to conquer distant stars.
- The First Frontier Spacebar (2016) is a journey to explore mysterious new lands.
- Retro TV Series (2017) captures an entire era of pop culture. Classic films on a vintage TV and the vibrant sounds of the arcade are sealed within a tiny block of resin, creating a tangible museum of memories.
- Zen Pond (2018) isn’t just a keycap; it’s a serene meditative corner, with meticulously crafted Koi fish that seem to carry the very soul of our artisans.
- Dragons of Eden (2019) represents the pinnacle of challenge, capturing the majestic aura of legendary dragons in stunning detail.
- 8-bit Series (2020) is a ticket back to childhood, reliving those sneaky afternoons skipping naps to play Mario or Contra, pixel by pixel.
We’ve never been content with the status quo. We crave to break limits. That’s why unique profiles like Cubic (2020), Gem (2017), Droplet (2022), and Naked (2023) came to life. That’s why we dared to create a complete keycap set with Zen Pond IV. And that’s also why we ventured into the world of Art Toys, so our dreams wouldn’t be confined to keyboards – so our fans could display larger, more detailed pieces as a celebration of art itself.
Brotherhood – The Heart of Our Strength
Ten years isn’t merely a milestone of products; it’s a profound journey of brotherhood. We’ve shared countless moments of laughter, but we’ve also shed tears through the challenges. Jelly Key was forged from the unbreakable bond between individuals united by a shared dream. Along the way, some dear friends chose to follow their own paths, and though it pained us to part, we hold deep respect for their decisions and treasure the memories we built together.
For those of us who remain, our connection has only grown stronger, becoming an unshakable foundation. We’ve become more than a team—we are a family, steering the Jelly Key ship through every storm, no matter how fierce. Our strength, our resilience, comes from this unity.
Embracing mistakes, defying the ordinary
Sometimes, everyone stumbles and makes mistakes, and we’re no exception. But at Jelly Key, we’re not afraid of errors; what we truly fear is falling into the trap of old, worn-out paths. That’s why we relentlessly innovate in how we craft our keycaps. This pursuit of the extraordinary has led to numerous challenges—delays in shipping due to the painstaking time invested in each key, coupled with sky-high defect rates. Not to mention, we’ve faced heavy losses in many group buys, unable to foresee the unexpected costs and hurdles. Yet, these struggles are part of our commitment to push boundaries, to create something truly unique for you.
A Heartfelt Thank You
I’m writing these words not just as a member of Jelly Key, but as a brother, a friend, pouring out my deepest gratitude from the very core of my heart.
Thank you, our cherished customers, our friends of Jelly Key. Without your unwavering trust, your incredible support, and your patient understanding during long waits, our dreams might have remained nothing more than sketches on a page. Every keycap that finds its way to your hands is infused with the heart and soul of our team. And it’s you who breathes life into them, giving each piece a special place on your desk, in your personal sanctuary of passion.
Thank you, the Vietnamese and international mechanical keyboard community. You’ve built an extraordinary playground for us to grow in. You’ve shared your thoughts, offered invaluable feedback, and carried our story to corners of the world we could only dream of reaching. You are an irreplaceable part of this journey, the spark that fuels our drive to innovate and create.
A decade has passed, yet the flame of passion within us burns brighter than ever. The road ahead is filled with exciting new horizons—the Chess series, the Gaccha series for 2025, and countless other dreams waiting to take shape. We firmly believe that with you by our side, there’s no limit to what we can achieve together.
Thank you for being an integral part of Jelly Key’s story. Let’s continue this adventure, writing the next chapters hand in hand, crafting pages brimming with inspiration and wonder.
With all our sincerity,
The Jelly Key Team