What it is / protection

• “Moradabad Metal Craft” is a registered Geographical Indication (GI); application no. 161, registered to the Moradabad Handicrafts Exporters Association.
  

Exports snapshot (latest dependable numbers)

• Indian handicrafts exports in FY24 were ₹31,095 crore (US$3.8B); provisional FY25 (Apr–Feb) segment data shows Art Metal Wares at ₹3,791 crore (≈US$449m)—the basket that captures Moradabad’s brassware. Major destinations include the USA and UAE (UAE specifically flagged as a major buyer for art metalware).
  
• Fresh cut: in FY26 Q1 (Apr–Jun 2025), Artmetalwares exports were US$277.28m (provisional).
  

Why Moradabad is region-strong (quality & capability)

• Decades-old metalworking cluster with deep specialization in casting, sheet-metal forming, engraving, inlay, antiquing, electroplating and powder-coating, supported by a dedicated government center: Metal Handicrafts Service Centre (MHSC)—an MoT/GoI institution offering finishing, testing (ISO/IEC 17025 NABL), design, and training.
  
• MHSC’s RTC Laboratory in Moradabad is a CPSC-accepted lab for lead-in-substrate/paint testing for children’s metal products—useful for buyers selling into the US. (Lab ID 1852; CPSC approval 14-Aug-2024).
  

Buyer notes (standards & compliance)

• For skin-contact metal items (e.g., napkin rings/bracelets with plating), EU nickel release limits apply; harmonized test EN 1811:2023 under REACH Annex XVII.
  
• Lead limits for general-public articles are governed under REACH Annex XVII (entry 63); ensure plating/lacquers and solders meet current restrictions.
  

Typical strengths to specify in POs

• Brass grade & finish (e.g., raw/antique brass, brushed, plated), coating system (clear lacquer vs. powder-coat), corrosion performance (salt-spray hours if relevant), seam/ solder integrity, and food-contact declaration (if used as serveware), with supporting test reports from MHSC/NABL labs.

Firozabad Glass Bangles (Uttar Pradesh)

What it is / protection

• “Firozabad Glass” is a registered GI (applications 155/156; status registered/merged).
  

Exports snapshot (how to read the data)

• Glass bangles sit in India’s tariff line HS 7018.10.10 “Bangles” (under HS 7018 glass beads/smallwares family).
  
• Under the broader HS 7018 family (which includes bangles, beads, etc.), India exported ~US$49.3m in 2023; top destinations included the USA, Austria, and Nepal. (Use this as a scale proxy; 7018 covers more than bangles alone.)
  
• Sector context: CAPEXIL (the official EPC for glass & glassware) tracks glass sub-lines (incl. “glass bangles”) in its product dashboard, useful for time-series checks when building forecasts.
  

Why Firozabad is region-strong (specificity & scale)

• The Firozabad glass cluster is India’s near-exclusive producer of glass bangles, with a dense ecosystem of pot/muffle/tank furnaces and distributed finishing. A TERI cluster profile (Sameeeksha) documents ~55 tank furnaces, ~115 pot furnaces, ~400 muffle furnaces, and describes bangles being almost exclusively produced in this cluster; NG (natural gas) is the primary fuel for melting.
  
• Process strengths include soda-lime glass formulation, continuous annealing (lehrs/muffle) for toughness, and high-throughput loom–spiral cutting–anneal lines—supporting mass variety in colours/sizes at competitive cost.
  

Buyer notes (classification, testing & handling)

• Tariff/HS anchor for POs: 7018.10.10 (Bangles).
  
• For skin-contact jewellery categories sold in the EU (even when glass is the substrate but metal findings/foils are used), ensure nickel release (EN 1811) compliance where applicable and check pigment heavy-metal content (lead/cadmmium in colours) under REACH Annex XVII.
  
• Packing/handling matters: specify drop-test-worthy inner packs, anti-abrasion separators, and anneal verification (stress checks) to control transit breakage; CAPEXIL can guide exporters on standard export packing for glassware.
  

Quick “fit-for-export” checklists

Moradabad Brassware

• GI mention on product page / box copy (where appropriate) + maker traceability.
  
• Finish stack defined (substrate → plating thickness → lacquer/powder), test reports for lead/nickel as required (MHSC/CPSC-accepted).
  
• If food-contact: request migration testing aligned to destination-market rules (e.g., LFGB/BfR in Germany).
  

Firozabad Glass Bangles

• HS 7018.10.10 on documentation; colour batch consistency & annealing parameters locked.
  
• If any metal findings/coatings are added, verify EN 1811 (nickel release) and relevant lead restrictions.
  
• Transit-breakage controls: inner trays, separators, and carton drop tests; leverage CAPEXIL guidance for export-grade glassware packing.
  

Why these two clusters are “India-specific” winners

• Policy & identity: Both crafts are GI-protected, tying product reputation to place-of-origin and traditional know-how—often valued by overseas buyers.
  
• Institutional backbone:
  
  • Moradabad has MHSC (NABL lab + finishing/design), and is championed under India’s handicrafts export programs (EPCH).
    
  • Firozabad benefits from a large, energy-modernized glass cluster with documented furnace capacities and processes tailored to bangles.
    

Sources you can cite

• GI Registry (Govt. of India) entries: Moradabad Metal Craft; Firozabad Glass.
  
• EPCH export stats (FY26 Q1 category cut; plus FY25 provisional by segment via IBEF).
  
• MHSC (Govt. testing/finishing facility) site & CPSC lab acceptance record.
  
• Firozabad cluster technical profile (TERI/SAMEEEKSHA).
  
• HS anchor for glass bangles (DGCI&S “Selected Statistics” showing 70181010 “Bangles”).
  
• OEC overview for HS 7018 global trade (to contextualize glass bangles within the broader 7018 family).