A brooch is a decorative pin worn on clothing, and a saree pin is a small brooch designed to hold the pallu or pleats of a saree, or a dupatta, in place. Rajkot makers produce both, and both are exported, though they reach quite different customers.
Saree pins sell mainly to South Asian shoppers abroad. Larger brooches in Western styles, such as floral, vintage or crystal designs, sell to general fashion retailers and to occasion-wear brands.
Types you can source
- Saree pins: small, often with a safety-pin back, in kundan, AD, pearl, oxidised and meenakari styles.
- Brooches: larger statement pieces with a pin and roll-over safety catch, used on coats, jackets and scarves.
- Sherwani brooches: worn by men on wedding jackets, often with a hanging chain.
- Hijab pins: short straight or magnetic pins sold to Muslim women, popular in the Gulf, UK and Southeast Asia.
What to check
The pin is the weak point. Check that the pin is hard enough not to bend, that the point is smooth enough not to snag silk, and that the catch locks firmly. A pin that pulls a thread out of a customer's best saree will come back as a complaint.
Brooches are light compared with necklace sets, so the base metal and plating cost are small. Most of the price is in the stones and the finishing, which makes them a useful low-cost add-on in a mixed order.
Who buys them abroad
Indian wear boutiques often add saree pins and sherwani brooches at the till, because customers buying an outfit want a finishing piece. Modest fashion stores carry hijab pins in larger volumes. General fashion buyers are more seasonal and mostly order brooches for autumn and winter ranges.
Because the pieces are small, a mix of many designs in a few dozen pieces each is common. Read our guide to mixed designs in small quantities before you plan one.
What this means for a buyer
Brooches and pins are an easy way to widen a range without a large order. Creston & Co works for buyers only, for a fixed fee agreed in writing: we find makers who specialise in pins, check the pin and catch on every sample and supervise packing. Ask for a free sourcing review.