§1What this business is
Dry, defect-free wood is cut on band saws, carved by hand and engraved on a laser machine with local designs, then sanded and finished with varnish, stain or paint, checked and packed. Products are tourist souvenirs, mementos and custom gifts. They sell through souvenir and gift shops, tourist centres, art galleries, online marketplaces and corporate and event orders.
Capacity: Sales of ₹65.00 L a year of wooden mementos of various kinds.
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
A carpenter or craftsperson in a tourist area who can design local motifs and supply shops and corporate buyers.
Who it is not for
Someone with no design sense or no access to tourist and gift outlets.
Advantages
- Tourists want local, hand-made keepsakes
- A laser engraver makes custom names and logos quick
- Corporate and event orders add bulk sales
- Small items need little wood per piece
Drawbacks
- Sales follow the tourist season
- Cheap machine-made souvenirs compete
- Needs good designs that change often
- Quality wood must be bought legally and dried well
Skills you need
- Wood carving and finishing
- Running a laser engraver and design software
- Product design with local themes
- Selling to shops and taking custom orders
Why difficulty 2/5: Simple tools and skills; success depends on good designs and tourist sales.
§3Market
Who buys
- Tourists
- Souvenir and gift shops
- Art galleries and tourist centres
- Companies and event organisers (custom mementos)
How it sells
- Local markets and souvenir shops
- Own website and online marketplaces
- Corporate gifting and event orders
Good to know
- The profile suggests designs that capture the look and feel of Uttarakhand.
- Customised mementos for events, occasions and corporate gifting are named as a growth route.
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Laser engraving machine | 1 | ₹3.00 L |
| Band saw machine | 3 | ₹0.75 L |
| Wood carving tools (chisels, gouges) | 1 set | ₹0.65 L |
| Sanding machine | 5 | ₹0.13 L |
| Varnishing and finishing tools | 5 | ₹0.40 L |
| Paints and stains | 1 set | ₹0.40 L |
| Dust extraction system | 3 | ₹0.45 L |
| Workbenches | 7 | ₹0.84 L |
| Storage racks | 5 | ₹0.50 L |
| Packaging equipment (cartons) | 1 set | ₹0.45 L |
| Inventory management software | 1 | ₹0.15 L |
| Safety equipment (goggles, masks) | 1 set | ₹0.38 L |
From: Uttarakhand DUY project profile — Wooden Memento / Souvenir Making
- Dry, defect-free woodthe right type for each product; raw material ₹33.80 L a year in the profile
- Varnish, stain and paintto finish and protect the wood
- Packing cartonsto avoid damage in transport
From: Uttarakhand DUY project profile — Wooden Memento / Souvenir Making
§5Licences & registration
- Udyam registration
- GST registration
- State Pollution Control Board consent depending on scale (as listed in the profile)
- Buy timber only with a valid bill or transit pass as per forest rules
§6Schemes & subsidies
PMEGP (manufacturing up to ₹50 L) and CGTMSE fit. At ₹22.98 L the project is above the MUDRA limit (₹20 L).
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: DUY profile: pre-operative ₹0.70 L, land and building ₹8.00 L, machinery ₹10.53 L (equipment ₹8.10 L incl. laser engraver ₹3.00 L + tax/transport ₹1.62 L + wiring ₹0.81 L), equipment and furniture ₹2.00 L, working capital ₹1.75 L = ₹22.98 L. Finance: own ₹5.75 L (25%), bank ₹17.24 L (75%).
Working capital: Working capital ₹1.75 L for wood, finishes and packing; stock up before the tourist season.
Year not printed on the DUY profile — check current machinery and material prices.
§8Export potential
Confirm the HS code in the DGFT ITC(HS) lookup before you export
Export council / board: EPCH (Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts)
- Get an Import Export Code (IEC) from DGFT before the first shipment.
- Wooden goods may need fumigation and a phytosanitary certificate for some countries.
§9Risks — where people fail
- Poor tourist season
- Wood cracking from poor drying
- Designs copied by others
- Unsold stock at the end of the season
§1030 / 60 / 90-day plan
A general plan that applies to any business. A plan for this business will be added after research.
- Days 1–30: Visit a working wooden memento and souvenir making unit, ask 10 buyers about price and quantity, and get quotations from 3 suppliers.
- Days 31–60: Udyam and the licences you need (Udyam registration, GST registration), a project report (DPR), and the scheme or loan file.
- Days 61–90: Space and machines, trial production, and first deliveries to 10 customers.
§11Who to connect with
Associations, clusters and training institutes — the directory is being built. Connect
§12Watch
There is no episode on this business yet. Shows are coming soon on the Podcast page.
Want to start Wooden Memento and Souvenir Making?
DPR, loan file or registration — ask us on WhatsApp.
¶Sources
Data review: 6 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Report it. For information only — not legal or financial advice.