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Handicrafts

Export ceramic tableware and decor

Stoneware mugs, bone china, Khurja and blue pottery; the USA, Brazil and the UK lead.

Free to exportHS 6911
HS code
6911
Porcelain and bone china tableware and kitchenware (6911), stoneware, earthenware and other ceramic tableware and household articles (6912), and ceramic statuettes and ornamental articles (6913).
Export policy
Free to export
Free to export under ITC(HS) Schedule 2 (no condition listed). Confirm the current entry on the DGFT ITC(HS) search before you sign a contract.
Registrations
4
IEC, GST and those below
India’s exports, 2025-26
US$ 62.7 mn
to 87 countries

What is exported

India exports stoneware and earthenware mugs, plates and bowls, bone china and porcelain dinnerware, and hand-painted decorative pottery from clusters such as Khurja and Jaipur. Buyers are homeware importers, department stores, online sellers and hotel suppliers. In 2025-26 India exported about US$ 43 million under HS 6912 (Brazil and the USA led), about US$ 18 million under HS 6911 (the UK and USA led) and about US$ 1.6 million under HS 6913.

Varieties, grades and forms

  • Stoneware mugs, plates and bowlsReactive-glaze and hand-painted pieces for homeware stores (HS 6912).
  • Bone china and porcelain dinnerwareFor hotels, gift sets and retail (HS 6911).
  • Decorative potteryKhurja, blue pottery of Jaipur, black pottery of Nizamabad, terracotta (HS 6913 and 6912).

Where it is grown or made

  • Uttar PradeshKhurja (Bulandshahr), Chunar (Mirzapur), Nizamabad (Azamgarh) and Gorakhpur (terracotta)
  • RajasthanJaipur (blue pottery) and Pokaran
  • GujaratThangadh and Morbi — ceramic tableware units
  • West Bengal and RajasthanBone china and porcelain plants

Export packing

  • Each piece wrapped, placed in partitioned inner boxes, then double-wall master cartons.
  • Gift-box and retail packs with barcodes when the buyer sells direct to shoppers.
  • Drop-test packed cartons before mass production.

Who buys abroad

  • Homeware and kitchenware importers
  • Department stores and gift chains
  • Hotel and restaurant suppliers
  • Online homeware sellers

The quality buyers ask for

Lead and cadmium release
Within EU limits for ceramic food-contact articles and US FDA action levels, tested by the buyer's method
Body
Stoneware, earthenware, porcelain or bone china, with water absorption stated
Durability
Thermal shock, dishwasher and microwave resistance where claimed
Size and finish
Dimensions, capacity and glaze colour within agreed tolerance

Certificates

  • Lead and cadmium test reportRequiredRequired by EU, UK and US buyers for food-contact ceramics.
  • EU declaration of compliance (food contact)RequiredNeeded for ceramics sold in the EU for food use.
  • California Proposition 65 reviewOften askedAsked for products sold in California.
  • Social auditOften askedRetail chains often ask for one.

Shipping, storage and shelf life

Container load

Ceramics fill containers by volume; first orders often go LCL. A 40-ft container holds a few thousand cartons of mugs or plates, depending on packing.

How it travels

Sea from Nhava Sheva, Mundra or Kolkata; ICDs near Khurja and Jaipur.

Storage

Store in dry cartons; stack within carton strength.

What goes on the pack and carton

  • Food-safe items: maker or importer details and, in the EU, the food-contact symbol or words where required.
  • Decorative items not for food: clear "Not for food use" marking.
  • Back-stamp or label with "Made in India" and care instructions (dishwasher, microwave).
Where to get it tested

CSIR-CGCRI (including its Khurja centre) tests ceramics. For lead and cadmium release, use NABL-accredited labs; EPCH and CAPEXIL can share lists.

Benefits of exporting this product

Where to register

  • CAPEXILFactory-made ceramics are listed under CAPEXIL in Appendix 2T.capexil.org ↗
  • EPCHHandmade pottery and decorative ceramics (miscellaneous handicrafts) can register with EPCH.epch.in ↗

Quality and checks

  • Lead and cadmium release from glazes on anything that touches food: the EU sets limits for ceramic food-contact articles, and the US FDA applies action levels by article type (CPG 545.450).
  • Decorative pieces that are not food-safe must be marked "Not for food use" (the USA has specific rules for such marking).
  • Dishwasher, microwave and thermal-shock tests when the buyer claims these on the label.
How to start small

Start with a small range of stoneware mugs and bowls or hand-painted Khurja or blue pottery, get lead and cadmium tests done at an accredited lab, and show at the IHGF Delhi Fair. First orders from homeware importers are usually a few hundred cartons in a shared container.

Where new exporters go wrong

  • Glaze that fails the lead test — buyers recall the whole lot and claim costs.
  • Breakage in transit: use partitions, double-wall cartons and drop tests.
  • Colour and size variation in handmade pieces — agree tolerances with photos before production.

Documents this product needs

Schemes that apply

Sources (8)
  1. Department of Commerce, Export Import Data Bank — India's exports of HS 6911, 6912 and 6913 by country, 2025-26
  2. DGFT — Appendix 2T: Export Promotion Councils and the products under each
  3. DGFT — ITC(HS) export policy search (Schedule 2)
  4. CAPEXIL — official site
  5. EPCH (Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts) — official site
  6. US FDA — CPG Sec. 545.450, Pottery (ceramics); import and domestic — lead contamination
  7. European Commission — Food contact materials (ceramics)
  8. IP India (Geographical Indications Registry) — Registration details of Geographical Indications

Trade data

Indian ceramic tableware and decor exports in numbers

From the Department of Commerce’s TradeStat, country by country. US$, Indian financial years (April–March).

Exports in 2025-26
US$ 62.7 mn
+13.6% a year on average, 2020-21 to 2025-26
Change from 2024-25
↑ +11.4%
US$ 56.3 mn → US$ 62.7 mn
Buyer countries
87
Average export price
US$ 2.34
per kg · 26,756 tonnes shipped · US$ 2.44 the year before
Brazil: US$ 17.5 mnUnited States of America: US$ 17.2 mnUnited Kingdom: US$ 5.9 mnUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 3 mnGermany: US$ 2.1 mnCanada: US$ 1.9 mnNetherlands: US$ 1.8 mnAustralia: US$ 1.5 mnSpain: US$ 1.2 mnBelgium: US$ 930kArgentina: US$ 850kSaudi Arabia: US$ 770kSouth Africa: US$ 510kItaly: US$ 490kNepal: US$ 460kMauritius: US$ 420kMalaysia: US$ 380kBahrain: US$ 340kSwitzerland: US$ 310kSweden: US$ 280kBhutan: US$ 250kRomania: US$ 240kIsrael: US$ 230kPoland: US$ 230kNew Zealand: US$ 220kBrazil: US$ 17.5 mnBrazilUnited States of America: US$ 17.2 mnUnited States of AmericaUnited Kingdom: US$ 5.9 mnUnited KingdomUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 3 mnUnited Arab EmiratesGermany: US$ 2.1 mnCanada: US$ 1.9 mnNetherlands: US$ 1.8 mnAustralia: US$ 1.5 mnAustraliaSpain: US$ 1.2 mnSpainBelgium: US$ 930kArgentina: US$ 850kSaudi Arabia: US$ 770kSouth Africa: US$ 510kItaly: US$ 490kNepal: US$ 460kMauritius: US$ 420kMalaysia: US$ 380kBahrain: US$ 340kSwitzerland: US$ 310kSweden: US$ 280kBhutan: US$ 250kRomania: US$ 240kIsrael: US$ 230kPoland: US$ 230kNew Zealand: US$ 220kIndia
Where Indian ceramic tableware and decor goes — among our 80 countries, 2025-26
2020-21: US$ 33.1 mn332020-212021-22: US$ 52.8 mn532021-222022-23: US$ 49.8 mn502022-232023-24: US$ 49 mn492023-242024-25: US$ 56.3 mn562024-252025-26: US$ 62.7 mn632025-26
India’s ceramic tableware and decor exports, year by year · US$ million

The price cycle

India’s average export price per kg each year (total value ÷ total quantity). Highest in 2022-23, lowest in 2025-26 — a 13% swing between them. Keep this swing in mind when you quote.

2020-21: US$ 2.54 per kg2021-22: US$ 2.63 per kg2022-23: US$ 2.64 per kg2.642024-25: US$ 2.44 per kg2025-26: US$ 2.34 per kg2.342020-212021-222022-232023-242024-252025-26
Average export price of Indian ceramic tableware and decor · US$ per kg · dotted = year in between not available

What next: a projection from the trend

The past trend carried forward — not a forecast by any authority. Sudden changes in policy, prices or demand are not in it.

2020-21: US$ 33.1 mn2020-212021-22: US$ 52.8 mn2021-222022-23: US$ 49.8 mn2022-232023-24: US$ 49 mn2023-242024-25: US$ 56.3 mn2024-252025-26: US$ 62.7 mn2025-262026-27: US$ 69.6 mn (US$ 57.7 mn – US$ 84.1 mn)702026-272027-28: US$ 76.7 mn (US$ 62.1 mn – US$ 94.6 mn)772027-28
India’s ceramic tableware and decor exports and projection · hollow bars = projection, line = likely range
By 2027-28: US$ 76.7 mn

Likely range US$ 62.1 mn to US$ 94.6 mn.

Trend
+10.1% a year
Fit (R²)
0.68
Based on
6 years of official figures

Method: a straight line through the logarithm of yearly exports (log-linear regression); range = ±1 standard error.

Biggest buyer countries

By value in 2025-26. Change is against 2024-25.

Name2025-26Change
1BrazilUS$ 17.5 mn+21.1%
2United States of AmericaUS$ 17.2 mn+15.7%
3United KingdomUS$ 5.9 mn-3.9%
4United Arab EmiratesUS$ 3 mn+14.6%
5GermanyUS$ 2.1 mn-13.8%
6CanadaUS$ 1.9 mn-4%
7NetherlandsUS$ 1.8 mn+63.1%
8AustraliaUS$ 1.5 mn+4.3%
9SpainUS$ 1.2 mn-1.6%
10BelgiumUS$ 930k-16.2%
11ArgentinaUS$ 850k+49.1%
12Saudi ArabiaUS$ 770k+83.3%

Where demand is rising and falling

Only countries that buy at least US$ 1 million or 1% of India’s exports of this product. Change from 2024-25 to 2025-26.

High demand

  1. NetherlandsUS$ 1.1 mn → US$ 1.8 mn+63.1%
  2. BrazilUS$ 14.4 mn → US$ 17.5 mn+21.1%
  3. United States of AmericaUS$ 14.9 mn → US$ 17.2 mn+15.7%
  4. United Arab EmiratesUS$ 2.6 mn → US$ 3 mn+14.6%

Low demand

  1. BelgiumUS$ 1.1 mn → US$ 930k-16.2%
  2. GermanyUS$ 2.4 mn → US$ 2.1 mn-13.8%

Which forms sell, and at what price

India’s exports by 8-digit tariff line, 2025-26. Average price = total value ÷ total quantity (TradeStat): the average of every shipment on that line, not the price of any one deal.

Tariff lineValue 2025-26ChangeQuantityAverage price
Tblware of bon china and sft prcln6911 10 11 · Tableware and kitchenware, of porcelain or chinaUS$ 14.8 mn-4%2,614 tonnesUS$ 5.66 per kgwas US$ 5.48
Others-of-cermc tableware,kitchenware,other householdartcls etc. other than of porcelian or china6912 00 90 · Ceramic tableware, kitchenware, other household articles and toilet articles, other than of porcelain or chinaUS$ 12.4 mn+13.7%6,665 tonnesUS$ 1.87 per kgwas US$ 2.06
Clay articls as tableware, kitchenware etc.6912 00 40 · Ceramic tableware, kitchenware, other household articles and toilet articles, other than of porcelain or chinaUS$ 12.3 mn+9.9%6,824 tonnesUS$ 1.80 per kgwas US$ 1.90
Ceramic tableware (e.g. of imitation porcelain/or semi-porcelain)6912 00 10 · Ceramic tableware, kitchenware, other household articles and toilet articles, other than of porcelain or chinaUS$ 9.3 mn+20.9%4,890 tonnesUS$ 1.89 per kgwas US$ 1.73
Ceramic tableware, kitchenware, other household articles and toilet articles, other than of porcelain or china — ceremic kitchenware6912 00 20US$ 8.8 mn+63.5%3,743 tonnesUS$ 2.36 per kgwas US$ 2.23
Tblware of other thn bon china and sft prcln6911 10 19 · Tableware and kitchenware, of porcelain or chinaUS$ 2.8 mn-8.4%1,400 tonnesUS$ 2.03 per kgwas US$ 2.11
Other statuette etc.(excluding of porclain/china)6913 90 00 · Ceramic statuettes and other ornamental ceramic articles, other than of porcelain or chinaUS$ 1.4 mn+26.1%321 tonnesUS$ 4.37 per kgwas US$ 4.31
Ktchnware of other thn bon chna and sft prcln6911 10 29 · Tableware and kitchenware, of porcelain or chinaUS$ 290k-59.7%142 tonnesUS$ 2.05 per kgwas US$ 2.81
Other of other hsehld and tolt articles of prcln6911 90 90 · Household and toilet articles in heading no. 6911, of porcelain or chinaUS$ 200k-47.4%65 tonnesUS$ 3.10 per kgwas US$ 4.79
Statuettes etc. of porcelain/china6913 10 00 · Ceramic statuettes and other ornamental ceramic articles, of porcelain or chinaUS$ 200k+33.3%15 tonnesUS$ 13.72 per kgwas US$ 10.22
Toilet articles other than porcelain/china6912 00 30 · Ceramic tableware, kitchenware, other household articles and toilet articles, other than of porcelain or chinaUS$ 100k+150%31 tonnesUS$ 3.18 per kgwas US$ 1.00
Ktchnware of bon china and sft prcln6911 10 21 · Tableware and kitchenware, of porcelain or chinaUS$ 90k-59.1%41 tonnesUS$ 2.17 per kgwas US$ 2.15
Toilet articles of prcln china6911 90 10 · Household and toilet articles in heading no. 6911, of porcelain or chinaUS$ 10k0%6.7 tonnesUS$ 1.49 per kgwas US$ 18.38
Wtr fltr of capcty not excdng 40lts of prcl6911 90 20 · Household and toilet articles in heading no. 6911, of porcelain or chinaUS$ 0-100%0.1 tonnes—

The world market

Each country’s own recorded exports and imports in UN Comtrade, 2023 (the latest year nearly every country has reported).

World imports
US$ 8.99 bn
2023
India among exporters
#24
of 154 countries
India’s share of world exports
0.3%
US$ 47.9 mn
Left for others to win
US$ 14.1 bn
exported by other countries

Top exporters — your competitors

  1. 1ChinaUS$ 9.16 bn 64.8%
  2. 2GermanyUS$ 671 mn 4.7%
  3. 3PortugalUS$ 412 mn 2.9%
  4. 4NetherlandsUS$ 348 mn 2.5%
  5. 5FranceUS$ 335 mn 2.4%
  6. 6ItalyUS$ 248 mn 1.8%
  7. 7United KingdomUS$ 239 mn 1.7%
  8. 8PolandUS$ 238 mn 1.7%
  9. 9TürkiyeUS$ 221 mn 1.6%
  10. 10ThailandUS$ 219 mn 1.6%

Biggest buyers in the world

  1. 1USAUS$ 2.02 bn 22.5%
  2. 2GermanyUS$ 664 mn 7.4%
  3. 3FranceUS$ 432 mn 4.8%
  4. 4United KingdomUS$ 385 mn 4.3%
  5. 5NetherlandsUS$ 374 mn 4.2%
  6. 6ItalyUS$ 351 mn 3.9%
  7. 7CanadaUS$ 251 mn 2.8%
  8. 8JapanUS$ 216 mn 2.4%
  9. 9PolandUS$ 212 mn 2.4%
  10. 10SpainUS$ 208 mn 2.3%

Opportunity: what these countries buy from the world, and from India

Each country’s own recorded imports in UN Comtrade, latest year it has reported. The long light part of each bar is demand other countries are filling today.

United States of AmericaUS$ 2.09 bnIndia 0.6% · gap US$ 2.07 bn
GermanyUS$ 729 mnIndia 0.4% · gap US$ 725 mn
FranceUS$ 470 mnIndia 0.4% · gap US$ 468 mn
NetherlandsUS$ 432 mnIndia 0.5% · gap US$ 430 mn
ItalyUS$ 390 mnIndia 0.2% · gap US$ 389 mn
United KingdomUS$ 385 mnIndia 1.6% · gap US$ 379 mn
CanadaUS$ 244 mnIndia 0.8% · gap US$ 242 mn
SpainUS$ 230 mnIndia 0.6% · gap US$ 229 mn
JapanUS$ 199 mnIndia 0.1% · gap US$ 199 mn
South KoreaUS$ 184 mnIndia 0% · gap US$ 184 mn

TradeStat’s 2023-24 quantities are double-counted, so that year is left out of the price. Sources: TradeStat — Export Import Data Bank, Department of Commerce · UN Comtrade database (United Nations Statistics Division) · Figures taken 29 October 2026.

Step by step

How to export ceramic tableware and decor

China dominates ceramic tableware exports, with Portugal, Germany, the UK, Thailand, Vietnam and Turkey also strong. India is a small but growing supplier of stoneware, bone china and hand-crafted pottery, valued for handmade looks and short runs. Demand is driven by homeware retail, online sellers and hotels and restaurants. Buyers look for distinctive designs, reactive glazes and artisan stories, but also strict food-safety compliance on lead and cadmium. Openings are in stoneware for homeware brands, GI-tagged decorative pottery, and bone china for hospitality.

  1. 01Develop designs

    Create a small collection with consistent glazes and sizes.

  2. 02Test glazes

    Get lead and cadmium release tests done on every glaze before sampling.

  3. 03Register

    IEC, GST LUT and RCMC (CAPEXIL or EPCH).

  4. 04Sample and fair

    Show at the IHGF Delhi Fair; send samples to importers.

  5. 05Produce and inspect

    Check each lot for chips, glaze defects and colour.

  6. 06Pack, ship and claim

    Partitioned cartons; file the shipping bill and claim RoDTEP and drawback.

Meet buyers

Trade fairs

Questions

Questions about exporting ceramic tableware and decor

Why do buyers insist on lead tests?
Some glazes release lead or cadmium into food. EU, UK and US rules set limits, and retailers recall goods that fail.
CAPEXIL or EPCH?
Factory-made ceramics fall under CAPEXIL; handmade pottery and decorative items can register with EPCH.
What RoDTEP applies?
1.4% for most 6912 tableware and for bone china (6911 10 11); 0.9% for other porcelain and for ornamental ceramics (6913).
Which GI tags exist for pottery?
Khurja Pottery, Chunar Glaze Pottery, Nizamabad Black Pottery and Blue Pottery of Jaipur, among others.
What order size should I expect?
First orders from homeware importers are often a few hundred to a few thousand pieces per design.
Sources (8)
  1. CAPEXIL — official site
  2. EPCH (Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts) — official site
  3. US FDA — CPG Sec. 545.450, Pottery (ceramics); import and domestic — lead contamination
  4. European Commission — Food contact materials (ceramics)
  5. CSIR-Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute (CGCRI)
  6. NABL — search for accredited testing laboratories
  7. IP India (Geographical Indications Registry) — Registration details of Geographical Indications
  8. DGFT — Appendix 4R, RoDTEP schedule for DTA exports w.e.f. 10.10.2024 (Notification 32/2024-25); rates continued to 31.12.2026 by Notification 41/2026-27

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