What is made in Firozabad
Firozabad works glass from the furnace to the finished piece. Glass is blown by mouth, pressed or press-and-blown, passed through an annealing lehr to cool slowly, then cut, painted, sprayed, lustred or fitted with metal parts. Decoration and packing may be done at separate units, so ask your supplier where each step happens.
| Recognition | What it covers | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Town of Export Excellence | Glass artwares | DGFT, Appendix 1B |
| GI: Firozabad Glass | Glass goods; certificate dated 31 Mar 2014 (application 155), filed by The Glass Industries Syndicate | GI Registry |
| One District One Product | Glass products: decorative glassware, bangles and utility glass, with project reports for glass bulb shells and bowls | ODOP Uttar Pradesh |
The ODOP page also lists a chemical lab at the Centre for the Development of Glass Industry in Firozabad as NABL-accredited. Ask your lab whether it holds the scope you need before choosing it.
What we check for Firozabad glass
| Product | Main checks | Full checklist |
|---|---|---|
| Vases, bowls and art glass | Size, wall and colour against a limit sample, bubbles and stones, coating adhesion, water-tightness | Glass décor and artware |
| Drinking glasses and tableware | Rim chips, wall thickness, capacity, decoration on the lip area | Glass tableware |
| Candle holders and hurricanes | Heat resistance, stable base, fit of glass in metal parts | Candle holders and lanterns |
| Glass ornaments | Breakage, hanger strength, glitter shedding, sharp edges | Festive decorations |
| Bangles | Inner diameter by size, chips and sharp edges, set count, coating | Bangles |
| Glass beads and beaded jewellery | Bead size and hole finish, thread strength, colour | Beaded jewellery |
| Glass bathroom sets | Set matching, pump fit and leaks, chips | Bathroom accessory sets |
See the ceramics, glassware and tiles inspection hub for the wider category.
Annealing, heat and breakage
Glass that is poorly annealed holds stress and can crack weeks after packing, in the container or in the customer's home. It looks perfect at the factory. The inspection screens for annealing strain and, for candle holders and drinkware, runs a hot-to-cold water test to the method in your specification.
Lead and cadmium in enamel or lustre on the lip-and-rim area of drinkware, and lead in coatings on bangles and beads, are lab tests; see California Prop 65 for the US and EU jewellery metal limits, which also cover lead and cadmium in jewellery. We pull and seal samples through lab testing coordination.
Common defects in Firozabad production
| Defect | Products | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Crack, or a chip leaving a sharp edge | All glass | Critical |
| Cracking in the hot-to-cold test | Candle holders, drinkware | Critical |
| Coating or lustre that peels or washes off | Décor, ornaments, bangles | Major |
| Size or colour outside the limit sample | Hand-blown décor | Major |
| Bangle diameter wrong for the marked size | Bangles | Major |
| Loose glass in a metal frame | Lanterns, holders | Major |
| Small seeds (bubbles) or cords in the glass | All glass | Minor, unless your limit sample says otherwise |
Timing and logistics
- Travel: inspectors come from Delhi NCR by road. Firozabad is about 40 km east of Agra, so a visit can be combined with leather or stone factories there; see inspection in Agra.
- Packing is the main risk: we check divider fit, wrap and void fill, and carry out a carton drop test where your specification asks for one.
- Several units: when décor is done away from the furnace, a during-production inspection at the decoration unit catches coating faults before packing.
- Festive orders: Christmas orders ship well before the season and ready dates bunch together, so book early.
- Loading: container loading supervision records carton condition and stowage of fragile goods.
How to book an inspection in Firozabad
Send the product, the factory's address and the ready date through the booking form for Firozabad. Include limit samples or photos for hand-blown pieces, packing specifications and any lab tests you need.
An inspection costs US$249 per man-day. Firozabad is in Band C, so travel is charged at actual cost and quoted before you book; see pricing. The report arrives within 24 hours of the inspection with a verdict of Cleared to load, Hold or Not cleared.
Sources
Are you a quality inspector in Firozabad?
We work with vetted freelance inspectors near the factories we check. You take assignments in your own area, inspect to our checklist, and Clear To Load pays you, never the factory. Apply to inspect with us.