About Ellumiglow
Light as a Material.
Not an Afterthought.
We started Ellumiglow because electroluminescent technology was being wasted on glow sticks. We knew it could do something more important — make people visible, make products smarter, and bring embedded light into industries that had never considered it possible.
2010
Founded
15+
Production Partners
3
Core Technologies
10+
Industries Served
The Story
Built in Portland.
Designed for What's Next.
Ellumiglow started in 2010 as a side project — Justin Metras experimenting with electroluminescent technology and quickly realizing the gap between what the product could do and how it was actually being used. EL was a novelty. Rave gear. Gimmicks. But the underlying technology was extraordinary, and almost no one was treating it seriously.
The move to Portland, Oregon wasn't accidental. The Pacific Northwest is home to some of the most design-forward active and apparel brands in the world. Being embedded in that culture — close to the teams at Nike, Adidas, and a broader ecosystem of makers and manufacturers — shaped how Ellumiglow approached product development. Not as a lighting company. As a materials company.
Every product we've built starts from the same question: what would it look like if light were a native part of the material, not something added on top of it?
"Reflective materials can only get you so far. The obvious path is embedded light — whether you're building safety gear, performance apparel, or the next generation of wearable technology."
We don't maintain a showroom or a large office. We run lean by design — Justin and a small team operate out of Portland, supported by a distributed marketing team and a network of over 15 specialized production partners built to our specifications. That structure lets us move fast, hold quality tight, and keep costs where they need to be for both retail and OEM clients.
The work speaks for itself. We've built EL systems for live entertainment at Disney and Universal. We've developed wearable lighting programs with some of the largest footwear and apparel brands in the world. And every year the technology gets closer to what we always knew it could be.
Why We Build What We Build
Three principles drive every product decision we make.
Safety Through Light
Reflective materials are passive. They depend on an external light source to work. Embedded illumination is active — it makes people and products visible on their own terms, in any environment, at any time. From industrial workwear to pedestrian visibility to robotics interaction zones, light that lives in the material changes the equation.
Technology That Earns Its Place
We don't add light because it looks interesting. Every product in the Ellumiglow line is engineered to integrate without compromising the host material — washable, flexible, low-profile, and durable enough for the application it's designed for. If it can't replace the conventional material, it doesn't ship.
Built for Scale
What starts in live entertainment ends up in everyday products. We deliberately build technology at the premium end first, then engineer the cost and complexity down so it can reach mass production. VynEL started on Disney stages. SewGlo started in custom apparel. Both are now available to any designer, manufacturer, or maker who wants them.
The VynEL™ Roadmap
Fifteen years of continuous development toward a single goal: solid-state embedded light in everyday materials.
2010
Ellumiglow Founded
Started as an experiment in EL technology — recognizing the gap between what electroluminescence could do and how it was being used commercially.
2015
VynEL™ V1 — First Generation Launch
The first commercial EL panel product engineered for wearables and live entertainment. Built initially to meet the demands of large-scale stage productions where standard EL panels couldn't hold up.
2020
VynEL™ V2 — Second Generation
Significant improvements to brightness, run length, and durability. V2 brought the cost point down enough to expand from entertainment into OEM apparel, automotive, and safety applications.
2023
SewGlo™ Launch
Extending the embedded lighting mission to thread. SewGlo™ is the first EL-based illuminated thread engineered for actual sewing machines — from home hobbyist to industrial embroidery equipment.
2026 Upcoming
VynEL™ V3 — Semi-Solid State
A fundamental shift in the core architecture — semi-solid state construction delivers a step change in durability, brightness consistency, and longevity. The beginning of the transition away from traditional EL construction.
2027–28 Upcoming
VynEL™ V4 — Full Solid State
The long-term goal: a fully solid-state embedded light panel that behaves like a material, not a component. Designed for integration into mass-market apparel, safety systems, and next-generation wearable technology.
Who We Build For
From custom one-off builds to OEM production programs, Ellumiglow's technology is active in industries where light does real work — not just decorative work.
Live Entertainment
Theme parks, touring productions, concerts, broadcast. Disney, Disney Live, Sea World, Sesame Place, Universal Studios.
Fashion & Apparel
Footwear, performance wear, accessories. Working with global brands and independent designers pushing illuminated apparel forward.
Automotive & Transportation
Interior accent lighting, custom logos, seat and upholstery integration. OEM programs across luxury and performance segments.
Safety & Industrial
Hi-vis workwear, robotics interaction zones, military and emergency services. Active illumination where passive reflective material isn't enough.
Film & Television
Costume and prop lighting for Hollywood productions. Flexible, lightweight, and controllable on set.
Architectural & Commercial
Retail displays, signage, wayfinding, and architectural accent lighting. Permanent installations with commercial-grade inverters and 24/7 duty ratings.
Marine & Aerospace
Low-power accent and safety lighting for marine interiors, aircraft cabin accents, and specialized aerospace applications.
E-Textiles & Smart Apparel
OEM manufacturing programs for illuminated garments, smart textile integration, and next-generation wearable technology development.
How it works in practice
Built for Disney. Engineered for Everyone.
The original VynEL™ system was developed to meet the demands of large-scale live entertainment — the kind of production environment where a lighting failure mid-show is not an option, and where costumes need to survive eight performances a week. Disney, Disney Live, Universal Studios, Sea World, and Sesame Place have all used VynEL™ in production.
Building for that standard forced us to solve problems that most EL manufacturers never encounter — heat bonding durability, inverter noise on stage, consistent brightness across large panel areas, and washability. Solving those problems at the entertainment tier meant that when we engineered VynEL™ V2 for broader commercial use, the hard work was already done. The same technology that runs on a Disney stage is now available to any apparel brand, designer, or OEM manufacturer ready to put light into their products.
How We Make It
Built to Spec.
Not Off the Shelf.
Every Ellumiglow product is manufactured to our own specifications through a network of over 15 specialized production partners. We don't buy generic EL Wire and rebrand it. The phosphor blends, copper core gauges, jacketing materials, and inverter tuning are all spec'd by us for the specific product they're going into.
That's why a SewGlo™ HD thread has 8× the break strength of the LT variant rather than just being a thicker version of the same thing. It's why TruEL™ Wire uses dual-core construction with TPU jacketing instead of PVC. And it's why the VynEL™ product line has gone through three major architectural revisions in ten years, with two more on the roadmap.
We're a small team. We run lean on purpose. But lean doesn't mean less rigorous — it means we put the resources where they matter: into the products themselves.
15+
Specialized Production PartnersWires, power supplies, panels, and components — each built to Ellumiglow spec.
3
Core Technology PlatformsElectroluminescence, Laser Wire, and LED — each developed independently, not sourced from a single supplier.
V3
VynEL™ Semi-Solid State — 2026Third major architectural revision of our flagship product, targeting solid-state construction by V4.
10+
Years of EL DevelopmentLonger than most EL suppliers have been in business. That history is embedded in the product specs.
The Team
Small by Design.
Ellumiglow operates as a lean, focused team — intentionally. Keeping the core small means decisions move fast, quality stays personal, and the work doesn't get diluted through layers of management.
Founder & CEO
Justin Metras
Started Ellumiglow in 2010 after recognizing that EL technology was fundamentally misunderstood and underused. Has spent 15 years building the product line, production network, and OEM relationships that make Ellumiglow what it is. Based in Portland, Oregon.
Operations & Production
Portland HQ
Day-to-day operations, order fulfillment, custom project coordination, and production oversight run out of our Portland, Oregon headquarters. No showroom — all focus goes into product and service quality.
Global Network
Distributed by Design
A distributed marketing team and 15+ specialized manufacturing partners give Ellumiglow global production capability without the overhead of a large internal team. Every partner is spec'd in — not off the shelf.
Work With Us
Ready to put light into your product?
Whether you're a designer, a manufacturer, or an OEM buyer — if you're serious about embedded lighting, we want to hear about it.
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