How gift sets come together
"Decorative and gifts, including corporate gifts" is one of the product categories at the IHGF Delhi Fair run by the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts. A typical corporate order combines items made by different workshops: a brass pen stand from a metal unit, a wooden tray from a woodworker, a candle from a chandler, a printed cloth bag from a textile unit. The exporter brands them, assembles the sets and packs them in a printed presentation box.
So the inspection is as much about assembly as about any one product. The questions are whether each set is complete and correct, whether the logo is right on every piece, whether materials from different workshops match each other, and whether the box protects them. Orders often carry a fixed event or holiday date, which leaves little time for rework.
What we check on corporate gifts and gift sets
| Check | How it is checked | What fails |
|---|---|---|
| Set completeness | Each sampled box opened and checked against the bill of materials and the set photo | Missing, extra or wrong component; wrong variant in the set |
| Logo artwork | Logo size, position, colour and spelling compared with the approved artwork and a physical approval sample | Wrong version of the logo, off-colour, misplaced, typo in the text |
| Print adhesion | Tape pull and rub on pad- and screen-printed logos | Ink lifting with the tape or rubbing off |
| Engraving and embossing | Depth, sharpness and alignment checked by eye and touch | Shallow, blurred or crooked marks; burn marks round laser engraving on wood |
| Finish match | Components from different workshops laid together under one light | Brass and wood tones that clash, different metal finishes in one set |
| Presentation box | Each piece placed and removed; foam or card insert, lid, magnet closure and print checked | Loose fit, insert cut wrong, lid not closing, box print scuffed |
| Personalisation | Names or numbers checked against the buyer's list for sampled pieces | Wrong name, wrong sequence |
| Labels | Origin, care, warning and batch labels on each component and on the box | Component without required marking |
Common corporate gifts and gift set defects and how they are classed
| Defect | Class |
|---|---|
| Wrong logo, wrong company name or a misspelling | Critical for the buyer |
| Sharp edge or point on a metal or wooden piece | Major or critical, as the buyer sets |
| Missing component | Major |
| Logo print fails the tape test | Major |
| Item loose in its insert, scratched in transit | Major |
| Small scuff on the box print, slight logo offset | Minor |
The set is the unit of sampling. One missing coaster makes the whole set defective, even if every other piece is perfect.
Rules that follow each component
A gift set has no rule of its own; each component brings its own.
- EU traceability. Under the GPSR, products need a type, batch or serial number and the manufacturer's and EU operator's contact details, on the product or, where it is too small, the packaging.
- US origin marking. Each article, or its container where allowed, must be marked "Made in India" under 19 CFR Part 134. Check whether your sets are sold intact or split up; see country of origin labelling.
- Food contact. Mugs, tumblers, bowls and serving boards need food-contact compliance in the market: see FDA food contact and EU 1935/2004 and LFGB. A brass or copper serving piece is a food-contact question, not just a décor one.
- Lead and chemicals. Brass and painted pieces can carry Prop 65 warnings in California; REACH restricts lead in articles children can mouth.
- Textiles and candles. Fibre labels for scarves and bags; candle safety labels for candles.
Packing, transit and your purchase order
A presentation box is retail packaging, not a shipping carton. It needs an outer carton strong enough for the stack, with dividers so boxes do not rub. Metal pieces need anti-tarnish paper or bags, wood needs to be dry before it is boxed, and candles should be packed apart from pieces they could soften onto or mark in a warm container. The inspector checks inner and outer packing, carton counts by set type, and a drop test where agreed.
- Bill of materials and photo for each set type.
- Approved logo artwork, print method, colour reference and position for every component.
- Box and insert drawings, with a signed sample.
- Personalisation list and how it is checked.
- Labels needed per component and per market.
- Delivery date, with time for a during-production inspection.
Component pages: brass and copper décor, decorative boxes and trays and scented candles.