Furniture, wood & rattan
Brass and copper ware
Indonesian metal craft covers hammered copper, cast brass and mixed metalwork for lighting, homeware and architectural use. The alloy and the finish decide both the appearance and whether the piece can lawfully hold food.
How it leaves the country.
- Hammered copper
- Sinks, vessels and panels raised by hand. The visible hammer texture is the product.
- Cast brass
- Handles, fittings and decorative pieces cast in sand moulds. Different capability and different workshops.
- Lighting
- Shades, frames and fittings. Where electrical components are involved this becomes a regulated product.
- Architectural
- Cladding, screens and larger commissioned pieces, usually project work rather than catalogue.
How it is graded.
Alloy, thickness, finish and construction. All four are worth specifying and all four are routinely left vague.
- Alloy composition
- What the brass actually is. Lead content is restricted in several markets, particularly for anything touching food or handled by children.
- Metal thickness
- Gauge decides durability and the weight the piece feels. Thin metal is where a cheap quotation hides.
- Finish
- Polished, antique, patinated or lacquered. It decides how the piece ages and whether it needs maintenance.
- Food contact
- Bare copper and some brasses are not suitable for food. Lining or a compliant coating is required, and it needs a declaration.
- Joins and construction
- Soldered, brazed or riveted, and with what. Solder composition is another restricted-substance question.
- Consistency
- Hand-raised pieces vary. A reference sample and a tolerance are how variation is bounded.
How it is packed.
- Individually wrapped
- Metal marks metal. Wrapping and separation are what prevent scratched surfaces on arrival.
- Tarnish
- Copper and brass tarnish in a humid container. Lacquered pieces are protected and bare ones need a barrier and desiccant.
- Weight and shape
- Dense and often awkward. Crating for larger pieces rather than cartons.
- Care instructions
- Tarnish is normal and customers treat it as a defect. Include the care information with the product.
Where it grows.
Boyolali and Central Java
Java
Established brass and copper working districts with both hammering and casting capability.
Yogyakarta
Java
Craft metalwork with design capability and small batch flexibility.
Bali
Bali
Workshops oriented to export and to interior designers, used to bespoke commissions.
Documentation, where applicable.
- Certificate of analysis
- Alloy composition, lead content and food contact migration testing where the piece holds food.
- REACH
- Restrictions on substances in articles apply to the finished goods in the EU, and the obligation sits on the importer.1
- EU general product safety
- General safety obligations, with a responsible person established in the union.2
- Certificate of origin
- Which form applies depends on the destination and the preference scheme in force with Indonesia.
Questions buyers ask.
Can I sell a copper vessel for food use?
Only with an appropriate lining or a compliant coating, evidenced by migration testing. Bare copper is not generally suitable for food contact and this is a common and expensive oversight.
Is lead in brass a problem?
It is restricted in several markets, particularly for food contact and children's items. Ask for the alloy composition and test the finished article rather than accepting a description.
Why did my pieces arrive tarnished?
Humidity in the container, which is normal for bare copper and brass. Lacquering, a barrier and desiccant all help, and telling your customer that patina is expected helps more.
Tell us what you need.
Give us the specification and the destination port. We come back with producer options and an indicative price. Our fee is 5 % of the order value, paid by you and never by the factory.
Sources
- 1REACH registration and the only representative. European Chemicals Agency. Checked 3 August 2026.
- 2Regulation (EU) 2023/988 on general product safety. EUR-Lex. Checked 5 August 2026.