where the exports are
- Category to track: HS 7117 (Imitation jewellery: base-metal, beads, bone/horn, glass, etc.). In FY 2024–25, India exported US$ 1.33 bn of imitation jewellery (down ~12% YoY). Provisional Apr–Jun 2025–26 is ~US$ 41 mn (–6.8% YoY).
- Top destinations & product mix (2023): Major Indian shipments under 7117 go to the USA, UK, UAE, Germany; base-metal (711719) dominates the mix.
Brass (Dhokra / Dokra) jewellery
Where & why it’s India-specific
- Bastar, Chhattisgarh; Dhenkanal, Odisha; Bankura (Bikna/Dwariapur), West Bengal. These clusters practice lost-wax casting (cire perdue) with brass/bell-metal—an unbroken tradition now GI-tagged in multiple states (Bastar Dhokra 2008/2014; Dokra of Bengal 2018; Adilabad Dokra 2018).
- Technique: clay core → beeswax/resin modelling → clay investment → burnout → pour molten brass (often recycled/scrap) → de-mould → hand-finishing. Texture (coils/filigree lines) is a hallmark; each piece is effectively one-off.
Quality levers (what buyers spec)
- Alloy & finish: declare copper/zinc range; request anti-tarnish lacquer; stipulate lead/cadmium free (self-declaration + third-party test). EU REACH restrictions apply (nickel release, lead, cadmium).
- Joinery: solder joints on pendants/earhooks; closed-loop bails; earring post torque ≥0.2 Nm (typical lab practice).
- Surface: allow micro-pits typical of hand casting; reject sharp burrs.
Regional strength: Authentic tribal motifs (dancers, animal forms, sun discs) and GI protection support provenance storytelling for premium lines.
Beads (stone & glass) jewellery
Where & why it’s India-specific
- Stone beads (agate/carnelian) – Khambhat (Cambay), Gujarat: a bead-making hub since antiquity (Indus–historic trade). Today’s micro-enterprises still shape, drill, tumble and dye/heat-treat agate beads for global costume jewellery.
- Glass beads – Varanasi (Banaras), Uttar Pradesh: Varanasi Glass Beads hold a GI; flame-worked, pressed and cut types feed fashion jewellery and embroidery.
- Northeast tribal beadwork: Naga/Wancho traditions (multi-strand beads, brass finials) are curated by TRIFED/Tribes India and inform contemporary tribal lines.
Quality levers
- Colourfastness: agree bead dye/heat treatment disclosure; sweat rub test on dark/light fabrics.
- Drill & stringing: minimum hole dia tolerance; fray-resistant thread/SS wire; tensile test per strand (e.g., ≥5 kgf for heavy multi-strands).
- Heavy metals: for glass/coatings, verify against REACH lead/cadmium limits; EU nickel release if nickel-bearing findings are used (test to EN 1811).
Bone & horn jewellery
Where & why it’s India-specific
- Sambhal (Sarai Tarin), Uttar Pradesh is India’s horn-bone craft capital—now GI-tagged (Sambhal Horn Craft). Artisans use bovine/buffalo horn & bone (by-product sources), hand-sawing, turning, polishing and lamination to create pendants, bangles and inlays.
Compliance you must lock down
- Wildlife law: India prohibits export of wildlife parts/products (e.g., ivory, tortoiseshell, many corals) under Export Policy & the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972—ensure materials are limited to permitted domestic species (e.g., buffalo/cattle) and are non-wildlife.
- CITES/US/EU import: Many wildlife-derived materials are restricted/prohibited at destination; your compliance notes should state “no CITES-listed species; bovine/buffalo only,” with supplier affidavit.
Quality levers
- Stability: bone/horn are hygroscopic—specify moisture-controlled storage, sealed polybags + desiccant; no prolonged sun/heat.
- Finish: bleaching uniformity; pore-fill level; edge rounding; hypoallergenic findings (nickel-safe).
- Ethics traceability: collect slaughterhouse/by-product origin statements; keep photo logs of blanks.
What foreign buyers typically require
- EU (REACH Annex XVII):
- USA (children’s jewellery): CPSIA total lead ≤ 100 ppm; label age-grading and small-parts warnings where applicable.
- Traceability & origin: Use GI mentions where relevant (Bastar/Varanasi/Sambhal) in product pages & cartons to support provenance.
Why India for tribal jewellery
- Provenance you can prove: Multiple GI-tagged crafts (Bastar Dhokra, Varanasi Glass Beads, Sambhal Horn Craft) enable authentic, premium positioning and IP protection around place-based know-how.
- Depth of clusters: Dense artisan bases allow low MOQs, rapid sampling, and mixed-material sets (brass focal + bead strands + horn bangles) under one consolidation. (EPCH/IFJAS ecosystem + DC Handicrafts labs/backstops.)
- Sustainability hooks: Dhokra uses recycled brass; horn/bone is a by-product stream—both resonate in responsible-sourcing narratives (with proper paperwork).
Practical sourcing spec
- All materials: Supplier warrants REACH-compliant jewellery; provide 3rd-party lab reports (nickel release, lead, cadmium).
- Brass (Dhokra): alloy declaration; anti-tarnish lacquer; no sharp burrs; pendant bails closed; earring posts stainless/ni-safe.
- Beads: disclose treatment (dyed/heat-treated); minimum hole tolerance; strand tensile target; colourfastness to sweat/rub.
- Bone/Horn: bovine/buffalo only; no wildlife species; whitening method declared; moisture-barrier packaging + desiccant; supplier affidavit + origin docs.
- Children’s items: comply with CPSIA lead (≤100 ppm) & small-parts; avoid any nickel-releasing components; age-grade ≥14+ if adult jewellery.
Where to start (IndiaUnbox product cues)
- Hero sets: Bastar Dhokra medallion pendants (matte antique finish) paired with Khambhat agate strings; Varanasi GI glass-bead chokers with brass finials; Sambhal horn cuffs in natural/ebonized tones.
- Storytelling blocks: card inserts that name the cluster + GI, technique (lost-wax / hand-turned horn / lamp-worked glass), and care.
