Etching on promotional gifts

Etching as used in the business gift trade is machine or chemical. Machine etching uses inscriptions produced by electrolyte and electric current whilst in chemical etching acid eats out the lines of the motif on metal or glass.

Etching is mainly used for a permanent impression on business gifts that are quite pricey such as Swiss Army knives, Leatherman multi-tools, Quill pens, Parker pens and Cross pens.

The indentation can be colour-filled or left with the base metal colour showing through the various coloured backgrounds of the etched item.

Etching is often confused in the customers mind with engraving; in fact, much of the glassware in the business gift market is sand blasted and, although not as deep as etching, is normally adequate for the job.

More to the point, it’s extremely unlikely that the average customer could differentiate between the two – and neither would you! For the  record, there is a usually a fairly large disparity in the prices...so as always, it's caveat emptor!

If your budget allows for expensive business gifts such as Swiss Army knives, Leatherman multi-tools, Parker pens, Cross pens, Quill pens and expensive corporate gifts of a similar naturet hen you really should be thinking about using either chemical etching or laser engraving.

At this level of personalisation other personalisation methods such as screen-printing are a non-starter and would simply wear off before the life of the business gift...for example, a Leatherman multi-tool has a 25 year warranty.

You can check out some of the other personalisation methods by navigating to them from the navigation panel to the left of the screen after you have assimilated How Business Gifts are Personalised - Etching.