How decorative lamps are made in India
Most decorative lamps from India are craft products with electrics added. The base is made by a metal, wood, stone or ceramic workshop. The factory then fits a lamp kit: cord set with plug, lampholder, switch, and sometimes an earth wire. Shades are often made by a separate unit. Moradabad, a Town of Export Excellence for handicrafts since the Foreign Trade Policy 2023, makes many metal lamps.
This split shapes the risks:
- The electrical parts are bought in. Whether the cord set, lampholder and switch are approved for your market depends on the purchasing, not the craftsmanship. A lamp kit made for one market is wrong for another.
- Wiring is done in a craft workshop. Cord passes through holes drilled in metal, wood or stone. Sharp edges, missing bushings and knots used as strain relief are common faults.
- Metal lamps need an earth. A metal-bodied lamp built as Class I needs its accessible metal connected to the earth pin. If the earth wire is left off or poorly fixed, the metal can become live.
- Floor lamps are tall and jointed. Stems are made in sections joined by threaded tubes. Thread length and the weight of the base decide whether the lamp stands firm.
What we check on table and floor lamps
Certification is not done at the factory. UL or ETL listing for the US, and CE or UKCA test reports for Europe, come from accredited test laboratories. The inspection checks that the lamps produced match what was certified and are safely built, using on-site tests on a sample.
| Check | How it is checked | What fails |
|---|---|---|
| Dielectric strength (hi-pot) | Test voltage applied between the live conductors and accessible metal or the earth pin, at the level and time the buyer's standard or lab specifies, on a calibrated tester | Breakdown or leakage above the set limit |
| Earth continuity | Resistance measured from the earth pin to each accessible metal part on Class I lamps | No continuity, or resistance above the limit; earth wire loose or missing |
| Polarity | Continuity check from plug pins to the lampholder; for US lamps, the wide (neutral) blade must connect to the screw shell | Reversed polarity; switch on the wrong conductor |
| Function | Lamp lit at rated voltage with the specified bulb; switch and dimmer operated | Flicker, no light, switch that sticks or sparks |
| Cord anchorage | Firm pull and twist on the cord at the base; cord path through the lamp looked at | Cord moves at the terminals, knot instead of a cord grip, no bushing on a metal hole |
| Markings and parts | Rating label (voltage, maximum wattage, bulb type), listing or CE mark, plug type and cord type read against the order and certificates | Wrong plug, no rating label, a mark not covered by a certificate, parts different from the certified model |
| Stability | Lamp with shade placed on an inclined surface at the angle the buyer's standard sets; floor lamp stems checked at each joint | Lamp tips; loose or short threaded joints |
| Shade and finish | Shade fit, clearance from the bulb, seams and glue; base finish against the sample | Shade touching the bulb position, wrinkles, glue marks, finish off sample |
Common table and floor lamp defects and how they are classed
| Defect | Typical class |
|---|---|
| Hi-pot failure, no earth continuity, reversed polarity | Critical |
| Cord damaged by a sharp hole, no strain relief | Critical |
| Wrong plug or uncertified cord set for the market | Critical |
| Missing rating label or wrong marking | Major |
| Lamp tips at the test angle, loose stem joint | Major |
| Switch fault, lampholder loose and turning | Major |
| Shade dent or wrinkle, finish mark on the base | Minor (major if clearly visible) |
Any critical electrical finding should stop the lot until the factory finds the cause and re-tests every lamp. A wiring fault is rarely confined to one piece.
Market rules and certification
- United States. Retailers commonly require portable lamps to be listed by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory, such as UL or Intertek (ETL), to UL 153. The lab also follows up at the factory. See UL and ETL listing.
- European Union. The manufacturer or importer applies the CE marking under the Low Voltage, EMC and RoHS directives, usually using EN 60598-1 with EN 60598-2-4 for portable lamps. WEEE marking and producer registration apply in each country. See CE, LVD and EMC and RoHS and WEEE.
- United Kingdom. UKCA or CE marking applies, and the Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994 require a fused plug to BS 1363 on domestic appliances. See UKCA and CE marking.
- Other markets. Canada and Australia use their own approval marks and plug types; see Canada and Australia.
The inspector checks that the certificate or listing names this model and factory, and that the parts fitted match the parts the lab tested.
Packing, transit and loading risks
- Heavy bases. A marble or cast-metal base moving in its carton breaks the shade, the harp or itself. Bases need a fixed insert.
- Shades. Fabric and paper shades crush. They are usually packed in their own carton or nested with spacers.
- Floor lamp stems. Long cartons bend in the middle when stacked across a gap. Use strong cartons and pack stem sections separately.
- Glass. Glass bases and shades need drop-tested packing, agreed before production.
- Paperwork in the box. Instructions, safety warnings in the market's language and any bulb must be in each carton.
What to put in your purchase order
- Market, voltage, plug type, cord type and length, and the switch type and position.
- Certified components required (cord set, lampholder, switch) and the lab certificate or listing to be used.
- Lamp class (Class I with earth, or Class II double insulated) and maximum bulb wattage.
- Electrical tests for the inspection, with the test values from your lab or standard.
- Stability requirement, shade size and fitter, base finish reference.
- Labels, instructions and packing, including a drop test on the first lot.
Hanging lights have different checks: see pendant lights and chandeliers. For metal bases, see brass and copper décor. Book an inspection in Moradabad.