India barware stays classy with handcrafted designs

Shiny classic and modern pieces, many in stainless steel, feature stylish etching and various ornaments.

India barware remains classy with vintage and modern inspirations. Models come in shiny, mosaic, antique, resin, gold, silver, nickel, copper, leatherite and oxidized finishes. Some are plain while other pieces feature horizontal and spiral metal rings, thick ribs, dots and ballwork. Metal parts can also be hammered or etched.

To enhance aesthetics further, suppliers also add bone, wood, horn and mother-of-pearl chips. Releases can also have glass bodies with metal lids, borders and handles. Colored glasses in various motifs are available.

In terms of material, stainless steel is the top choice because of its high tensile strength and adaptability to various treatments and craft techniques. With India being the third largest producer of stainless steel, the material is obtained locally from Chennai, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Mumbai.

Some India makers use a single material or apply blends, adding glass and wood to the body. Aluminum, brass, wood, glass and leather are the other preferred materials.

The popular India barware types are ice and champagne buckets, cocktail shakers, and wine coolers and sets. Ice buckets come in barrel, bucket and cylindrical shapes. These are insulated and single- or double-walled. Wine coolers have oval and round bodies.

GST Exports, Sam Globals and Jagdamba Cutlery Pvt. Ltd offer barware made of stainless steel and in shiny, matte, leather or bronze finishes. The last sources the material from Salem. In terms of design, plain, ribbed, etched and hammered surfaces are popular. Leatherite coating is also common.

Barware from Parkland Exports is made of aluminum, brass and stainless steel. Releases have hammered, etched, ribbed and differently shaped bodies with dot and diamond motifs and handles. Antique, matte and oxidized finishes are available. Glass can also come in various colors.

Barware prices vary according to the quality of the materials, designs and sizes.

Low-end items include ice tongs, peg measurers and wine and champagne coolers that measure 4 to 8in and are made of 201 stainless steel with a shiny or matte finish. Price is $0.70 to $3.

Midrange models consist of single- or double-wall ice and champagne buckets, cocktail shakers and bar trays. Designs are 6 to 14in and made of 201 stainless steel in different finishes or leather, wood and glass. Price is $3.10 to $10.

High-end releases come in sets of four to five 10 to 20in pieces made of 304 stainless steel with bronze, silver or gold finish. Add-ons include wood, glass, bone, horn and mother-of-pearl. Price is $10.10 and above.

India's barware industry consists of 500 manufacturers, 100 of which are exporters. Large, medium and small companies have a monthly capacity of 10,000 to 20,000, 5,000 to 10,000 and less than 5,000 pieces, respectively.

The main centers for barware manufacturing can be found in Delhi, Jaipur, Moradabad and Mumbai.

Australia, France, Italy, the US and the UK are key export markets while Dubai, Central Asia, Latin America and the Far East are emerging destinations.

See a comparison table of barware suppliers on GlobalSources.com