The kinds of wall décor made for export in India
"Wall décor" covers very different products that share one job: hanging flat on a wall without falling or warping. The main types bought from India are:
- Metal wall art. Laser-, plasma- or hand-cut iron sheet, bent rod sculptures and hammered panels, painted, powder-coated or given an antique finish. Jodhpur, a Town of Export Excellence for handicrafts, is one source.
- Carved wood panels and architectural pieces. Carved jali screens, door-panel replicas and relief plaques. Saharanpur and Jodhpur, both handicraft TEEs, make carved woodwork.
- Painted, printed and framed art. Canvas prints, hand-painted panels and framed pieces; Jaipur, also a handicraft TEE, is one source.
- Multi-piece sets. Three to seven pieces meant to hang as one composition, such as metal leaves, plates or mirrors.
Textile wall hangings are covered on the embroidered and beaded textile décor page, and framed mirrors on mirrors and mirror frames.
What we check on wall décor
| Check | How it is checked | What fails |
|---|---|---|
| Hanger strength | Piece weighed; D-rings, keyhole slots or sawtooth hangers loaded with the multiple of that weight set by the buyer | Hanger screw pulls out of thin board, weld on a rod loop breaks, keyhole tears through |
| Hanger position | Piece hung from its fixings on a test wall or rail | Hangs crooked, tilts forward, hangers at different heights |
| Flatness and warp | Piece laid face up on a flat table; gap measured at corners | Wood panel twisted, metal sheet bowed, rocks on the wall |
| Edges and points | Hand and cloth run along cut edges, wire ends and leaf tips | Burrs, sharp points, cloth snags |
| Finish | Compared with the approved sample in daylight; adhesion tape test on painted or powder-coated metal where agreed | Rust spots, bare metal, coating flaking, colour off sample |
| Set layout | Multi-piece sets laid out to the buyer's drawing; piece count and template checked | Piece missing, sizes that do not fit the layout, template missing |
| Wood | Moisture meter on panels; back checked for cracks, insect holes and mould | High moisture, open cracks, live insect signs |
| Back protection | Felt pads or bumpers present on the back corners | Missing pads that would mark the wall |
Common wall décor and wall art defects and how they are classed
| Defect | Class |
|---|---|
| Hanger fails the pull test | Critical |
| Sharp point or edge on metal wall art at hand height | Major (critical if it can cut in normal handling) |
| Warped panel that will not sit flat | Major |
| Rust spots, coating peel | Major |
| Piece missing from a set; wrong layout template | Major |
| Colour or print shade off the approved range | Major or minor by severity |
| Felt pads missing | Minor |
Wall mirrors are the closest product in our real reports. In Sample 02 (Jaipur), three styles of organic-shape wall mirrors, 200 pieces in all, were inspected with no findings.
Rules that apply
- EU: GPSR. Wall décor falls under the General Product Safety Regulation: safe design, traceability, the EU responsible person and safety information.
- EU: EUDR. Statuettes and other ornaments of wood (HS 4420) and wooden frames (HS 4414) are both on the Annex I product list, so carved panels and framed art need deforestation due diligence. See the EUDR guide.
- US: Lacey Act. Wood must be legally harvested, and some codes need a plant-product declaration. See Lacey Act.
- US: Prop 65. Lead in paint or in brass trim may need a warning in California. See Prop 65.
- Wood packing. Crates and pallets need the ISPM 15 mark. See ISPM 15.
Packing and transit risks
Flat pieces fail at their corners and at whatever sticks out. Carved relief and metal leaf tips need a raised layer of foam or a fitted insert so they do not carry the weight of the carton. Large panels should be packed standing on edge, with corner protectors, and loaded on edge in the container. Metal wall art packed while the powder coat is still soft sticks to plastic film; ask for the cure time to be respected. Wooden panels sealed in plastic straight after finishing can grow mould in the container, so check moisture before packing.
What to put in your purchase order
- Hanger type, number and position for each item, and the pull-test load.
- Weight of each piece, and whether a weight label or fixing advice goes on the back.
- Maximum warp, measured on a flat table.
- Edge finish for cut metal: deburred, rolled or capped.
- For sets: the layout drawing and whether a paper hanging template is included.
- Colour range, with approved light and dark limit samples for hand finishes.
Material checks are on the iron décor and wooden décor pages.