Busy for the Holidays

India's gift and handicraft sector exporters are getting busy with holiday orders.

With the upcoming holiday season, orders are expected to flood in for India's promotional gift and handicraft sectors. As one of the top producers of customized products and handmade gifts, the industry is expected to accommodate orders from Australia, Canada, Europe, United Arab Emirates and the United States.

India promotional gift exports

India's handicraft industry has contributed to a substantial amount of exports, mostly from the United States and Europe. This could be attributed to their ability to respond quickly to clients and meet specifications – particularly ones that are for customization. Not to mention, designs are intricately and well done, making India a reliable exporter of items as corporate or even holiday gifts.

Competitive advantages

With access to raw materials like cotton, wood and stone, India can purchase these materials at a cheaper rate and turn them into goods that are high in quality and intricate in design, the latter of which is popular among buyers in other countries.

India also has lower minimum monthly wages - $40 to $120 - compared to China, which has minimum rates ranging from $137 to $639.

These factors continue to make India as one of the top producers of promotional gift items all over the world.

Challenges

Among the biggest challenges facing India's gift industry is competition with other countries that provide low-cost items in bulk. Since many items are handmade, they cost more and take longer to make and cannot be produced in big orders. Using machines and having additional technological skills may address this issue and help suppliers produce items faster and cheaper while still retaining quality.

There's also a general disinterest among younger generations to continue the art and tradition of crafts making. According to the United Nations, over the past years, the number of artisans has decreased down to 20 percent.

This article and its contents are provided by the Hinrich Foundation, a partner of Global Sources in promoting trade across Asia. The products and the suppliers featured in this article are export assistance program beneficiaries of the Hinrich Foundation.

See a comparison table of promotional gift suppliers on GlobalSources.com