Stationery gift sets

	Model LN-L330 from mainland China's Best consists of a metal ballpoint pen, PU leather business card and keychain.

New selections come in plush materials and stylish packaging, and boast multiple functions.

With rising material costs exerting pressure on prices, more stationery gift set suppliers in Taiwan and mainland China are now tapping the upscale market. The objectives are to generate better sales and justify markups.

A growing number of makers on the island, for instance, employ high-end materials such as leather and velvet in their releases. Some are offering designs with culture-based themes that target the young adult and professional markets. OBM brands are gaining increased attention as well.

To capture a bigger share of the massive gifts sector, many companies have come up with wider collections that also contain pocket mirrors, wallets and photo albums.

In the mainland, suppliers are incorporating multifunction and electronic items in their latest stationery gift sets. Apart from the usual ballpoint pens, notepads, keychains and business card holders, ensembles may now include calculators and fancy watches. To lend a refined look, makers are using velvet- or nylon-lined wooden boxes instead of plastic or paper packaging.

Additionally, companies exporting heavily to the EU adopt lead-free materials that meet the EN 71 standard. Models with electronic components are RoHS-compliant.

Prices of stationery gift sets in both areas are on the upswing. In fact, Taiwan quotes have gone up by 8 to 10 percent since the start of 2008. Mainland prices rose by 5 to 10 percent in the past six months.

	This fabric-and-PVC leather ensemble from Taiwan's Hankaro has an organizer, pouch, notepad, purse and mirror.

Hankaro Co. Ltd of Taiwan updates its designs by combining plush materials such as velvet and leather. Targeting the female market, it offers stationery sets that also include pocket mirrors, purses, belts and fashion accessories. The standard items in an ensemble are notebooks and memo boards.

According to Angela Hsie of Hui-I Enterprise’s export department, shifting to upscale production is necessary to stay afloat and justify price increases. The Taiwan company expands its selections by including facial tissue, trinket holders and organizers in some stationery gift sets. Pens, pencils, rulers, erasers, notebooks and bags are contained in a typical ensemble.

At Cheerful Fashion Goods Co. Ltd, high-value releases are matched with designer gift boxes, which can be recycled as jewelry or trinket holders.

In the mainland, the latest models from Best International Co. Ltd are promotional sets for business use. They come usually in dark shades such as brown and black. The company also offers holiday-themed styles that include greeting cards. Pink, green and yellow versions are available.

Brilliance Metal Products (Shenzhen) Mfy is incorporating multifunction designs in its gift sets. One of the items is a novelty calculator with a mechanical weighing scale at the back and a carabiner on the side.

The company will soon offer a stationery set that contains a leather keychain with a SIM card storage slot. Releases from Brilliance meet the EN 71123 standard.

Packaging is being made more stylish as well.

Wenzhou Sashal E&C Corp. uses silver satin as lining for its boxes to increase visual appeal. Wooden containers that display natural grain are also being utilized. These are costlier substitutes for paper or plastic packaging but they suit high-end versions better.

A growing number of stationery gift set makers are bolstering their OBM exports. This strategy allows them to have stronger design distinction in the market, and take better control of product development.

Last year, Taiwan’s Yung Hsin Hang Stationery Co. Ltd launched its Kiddo brand, which now has three design series. The latest models in the series are Tao-inspired, bearing images of religious gods and generals. Mythological signs and lucky symbols are also featured.

Apart from Kiddo, the company markets its own Yung Hsin line, which is aimed at children.

OEM work is accepted for a minimum order of 3,600 sets per style. Production has been done at the company’s Tainan factory for more than 20 years.

Cheerful introduced Celavie, its first in-house brand, six years ago. It was during the same time that the company started making high-end stationery for executives.

In 2008, Cheerful launched the Poodehi series, which mainly reflects Taiwan culture. Unlike the previous trademark, Poodehi is designed for the youth market.

The company also offers the Tibet-inspired Blessing collection. Inscriptions and sayings are printed on pen barrels, organizer covers and wallets. Products come in black leather and are accentuated with shiny chrome components to add sophistication.

Similarly, mainland-based Jinjiang Overseas Chinese Plastic & Rubber Co. Ltd Fujian and Wenzhou Sashal are bolstering the in-house brands. At present, OBM designs account for 15 and 10 percent of their exports, respectively.