How aluminium décor is made
Aluminium décor is one of the metalware lines of Moradabad, which became a Town of Export Excellence for handicrafts under the Foreign Trade Policy 2023. Typical products are bowls, platters, vases, candle stands, photo frames, decorative boxes, sculptures and the bases of lamps.
Two processes dominate:
- Sand casting. Molten aluminium is poured into a sand mould. The casting comes out rough and is fettled (flash and risers cut off), filed and sanded. Gas and shrinkage leave pinholes just below the skin. They only appear once the piece is polished, which is why porosity is usually found late, at the finishing stage.
- Sheet forming. Sheet is spun, pressed or hammered into bowls and vases. Sheet work is lighter and smoother than casting but dents easily.
Ask where the metal comes from. Remelted scrap and ingot behave differently in the mould and in polishing, and a change of source between sample and bulk can change colour, porosity and weight.
Finishing defines the look. A mirror polish is built up on buffing wheels with abrasive compound. The "silver" look is often nickel plating over aluminium. A raw or "antique" finish is darkened and waxed. Most finishes are then lacquered, because bare aluminium dulls and forms a white powdery oxide in damp air.
What we check on aluminium décor
| Check | How it is checked | What fails |
|---|---|---|
| Porosity and casting flaws | Polished faces under a bright lamp, turned to catch reflections; rims and bases looked at closely | Pinholes, cold shuts, cracks, filler showing as a dull patch |
| Buffing residue | Recesses, engraving and joints checked; wiped with a white cloth | Black or grey compound left in crevices, cloth comes away dirty |
| Plating and lacquer | Edges and high points looked at; tape test on a hidden area where agreed | Peeling, blisters, bare edges, cloudy or yellowed lacquer |
| Oxidation | Undersides, insides and areas under labels | White powdery spots or dull patches |
| Weight and wall thickness | Scale against the approved sample; callipers on rims | Thin castings that are light and flex, uneven wall thickness |
| Shape and flatness | Platters and bases on a flat table; matched sets side by side | Warped platters, bowls that rock, sizes in a set not nesting |
| Dents and scratches | Raking light over all faces | Dents on spun sheet, deep scratches on a mirror finish |
| Markings | Item, label and carton read against the order | No "decorative only" mark on a piece that looks like serveware, when ordered |
Common aluminium décor defects and how they are classed
| Defect | Typical class | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Sharp casting flash or rim burr | Critical | Cuts the hand |
| Crack in a casting | Major | Can break in use or transit |
| Porosity cluster on a polished face | Major | Clearly visible on a mirror finish |
| Plating peeling, lacquer blistered | Major | Gets worse with handling |
| Buffing compound in recesses | Major or minor | Dirties hands; depends on amount and location |
| Single pinhole on an underside, light hairline scratches | Minor | Not seen in normal use |
Agree before production how many pinholes, and of what size, are acceptable on each face. A visible face and an underside should have different limits.
Market rules that apply
- Food use is the main question. A platter or bowl that looks like serveware will be used for food. In August 2025 FDA warned against certain imported aluminium, brass and alloy cookware, much of it made in India, after tests showed lead leaching into food. If you sell the piece for food, it is kitchenware and needs food-contact testing; see FDA food contact and EU 1935/2004. If not, mark it "decorative only, not for food use".
- EU general safety. Aluminium décor has no product-specific EU law, but the GPSR applies: safe edges, stable bases, traceability and an EU contact on the product or its packaging.
- California. Check with your lab whether alloy, plating or lacquer needs a Prop 65 warning.
- Origin marking. Small items still need a country-of-origin mark for the US; see origin labelling.
Packing, transit and loading risks
- Scratches on mirror finishes. Polished aluminium is soft. Each piece needs a soft first wrap, such as foam sheet or a cloth bag, before the polybag.
- White oxidation. Damp packing, bare spots in the lacquer and a long sea voyage produce white spots. Pieces should be fully dry and packed with desiccant.
- Dents. Sheet bowls and vases dent under weight. Use rigid inserts, and do not let a heavy casting share a carton with thin sheet pieces.
- Nested platters. Separate each piece; metal on metal leaves scuff marks.
What to put in your purchase order
- Casting or sheet, minimum wall thickness and target weight with a tolerance.
- Finish: polished, hammered, raw, nickel-plated or coated, with a reference sample and lacquer type.
- Acceptable porosity per face (number and size of pinholes).
- Clean recesses: no buffing compound left in engraving or joints.
- Intended use: decorative only, with marking, or food use with a named food-contact test.
- Packing: soft first wrap, desiccant, separators in nested sets.
For brass pieces in the same order, see brass and copper décor. For outdoor aluminium chairs and tables, see aluminium furniture. Book an inspection in Moradabad.