From Cat Lover to Maker: How Valerio Uses LONGER Lasers to Support Cat Rescue

In Italy, a passionate maker named Valerio found a unique way to combine his love for creativity with his desire to help animals. By using LONGER laser machines, he transforms handmade products into meaningful contributions for a local cat rescue organization.

A Journey Started with Three Kittens

Valerio’s story began in 2024 when he adopted three sibling kittens.

The kittens were rescued by a volunteer-run cat rescue association called “I Gatti di Osvaldo”. The dedicated volunteers provided medical care, rescued cats in need, and worked tirelessly through social media to help them find loving homes.

Seeing their commitment deeply inspired Valerio. He realized that rescue organizations always need support — countless cats are waiting for help, and they all require food, medical care, and daily attention before finding their forever families.

Since his full-time job left him with limited free time, Valerio decided to use his weekends and his passion for making to create customized products. These handmade creations would be donated to the rescue association and sold at local charity markets to help raise funds.

Searching for the Perfect Product

At the beginning, Valerio only had a 3D printer and a CO₂ K40 laser. He created various cat-themed products, including:

• 3D printed cat figures
• Personalized wooden ornaments
• Cat-inspired Christmas decorations

While these projects were successful, he soon faced a challenge:

How could he produce more items in a limited amount of time while keeping them affordable and attractive to customers?

He needed a solution that could offer:

• Faster production
• Easy customization
• Affordable materials
• High customer appeal

The Upgrade: LONGER Nano Pro & Nano Duo

To expand his creative possibilities, Valerio upgraded his workshop with the LONGER Nano Pro, followed by the LONGER Nano Duo. The Nano Duo became a game changer.

With its powerful Infrared (IR) laser engraving capability, Valerio was able to create a wider range of personalized products, including:

• Stainless steel pet tags
• Custom keychains
• Bookmarks
• Personalized accessories

The new possibilities opened the door to even more creative ideas.

A Simple Idea That Made a Big Difference

The breakthrough came when Valerio combined 3D printing with the Nano Duo’s IR laser to create something everyone can use in daily life — custom shopping cart tokens.

His workflow was simple and efficient:

First, he used 3D printing to create the tokens in batches.

Then, he used the Nano Duo’s IR laser to personalize each piece:

• A customer’s name engraved on one side
• A logo or custom design engraved on the other side

The production speed was impressive:

• 100 tokens could be 3D printed in around 2 hours
• Laser engraving the entire batch only took a few minutes

This allowed Valerio to create large quantities of personalized products while maintaining excellent quality.

From 100 Tokens to 5,000+ Creations

The first batch of 100 shopping cart tokens sold out almost immediately.

Valerio knew he had found the perfect product for charity sales.

Since then, he has reached an incredible milestone of creating more than 5,000 personalized tokens.

Each token represents more than just a handmade item — it helps provide valuable support for the cat rescue association, contributing to food, medical care, and rescue efforts for more cats in need.

Turning Creativity Into Kindness

For Valerio, LONGER laser machines are more than just creative tools.

They allow him to turn his passion for making into meaningful action, using technology and creativity to make a real difference in his community.

Every engraving carries a story — a story about creativity, kindness, and helping those who need it most.

“None of this would have been possible without my Longer lasers, which will always be a central part of this wonderful charity experience.”

— Valerio