1 Muharram · UAE public holiday · lunar calendar

Hijri New Year corporate merch for UAE teams, VIP partners and B2B gifting

For HR, employee experience, internal communications, government liaison, B2B partnerships and GCC protocol teams that need staff kits, partner welcome gifts, premium VIP presentation sets and protocol-grade packaging tied to 1 Muharram in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, the Northern Emirates, the free zones and the wider GCC. Pricing in AED with VAT 5% invoiced through EmaraTax, lead times in working days, no insider claims about any religious authority, calendar body, employer, association or platform named below.

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What the Hijri New Year actually changes for a UAE merch programme

The Hijri New Year — 1 Muharram — is the start of the new lunar year and is a paid public holiday across the UAE for the private and public sectors. The holiday lands on a different Gregorian date every year because the lunar year is roughly 11 days shorter than the solar year; the UAE government confirms the exact Gregorian date through the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security and the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, usually a day or two before the holiday. For B2B merch teams the practical consequence is short: the corporate gift and the corporate celebration need to land either on the day itself (1 Muharram) or in the working days leading into the holiday, with the production schedule working backwards from a confirmed date that is announced late.

For HR, internal communications and protocol teams, 1 Muharram is treated as one of the three meaningful UAE corporate gifting moments in the year — alongside Ramadan/Eid and UAE National Day on 2 December. The audience is internal (employee welcome kits, recognition for years of service, team breakfasts) and external (partner and client appreciation for the new year, particularly in DIFC, ADGM, Dubai Media City, twofour54 and the financial free zones where the new year kickoff is a B2B protocol item). The gift is rarely the point on its own; the point is the gesture and the gift together, which is why packaging, ribbon, calligraphy and presentation carry as much weight as the product inside.

What the Hijri New Year does not change is the B2B procurement calendar. Run sizes start at 50 units for standard corporate SKUs and 30 units for premium SKUs, decoration methods follow the same hierarchy as every other UAE programme (embroidery and laser engraving for VIP, UV direct print and pad printing for accurate logos, DTF and silkscreen for volume), and the quote is in AED with USD on the same line using the AED 3.6725 peg. What changes is the timeline pressure: the holiday is announced late, the design window is short, and the procurement desk needs the kit shipped before the office closes for the holiday. This page covers how to plan a UAE Hijri New Year programme with that constraint in mind.

What typically goes into a Hijri New Year corporate kit

Staff and employee welcome kits

Sets for the in-office and remote teams on 1 Muharram: a dated mug or notebook with the Hijri year callout, a packaged dates box or premium dates selection, a branded water bottle or travel mug, and a card with the new-year message from the CEO or the managing director. Typical run 100–500 sets; turnaround 10–14 working days for a presentation-grade build; rush 5–7 days for a stock-SKU build. Available with delivery to a Dubai office, an Abu Dhabi office, a free-zone plot, a hotel concierge or a GCC courier network address.

Premium VIP partner and client gifting

Curated sets for the top 25–100 partners, VIP clients, board members and government liaisons: a wooden or leather-look presentation box with Arabic calligraphy on the lid, a premium dates selection (Al Barakah, Bateel, or the buyer's own sourcing), a hand-engraved silver-tone pen, a linen-bound notebook with year callout, and a personalised card with the new-year message. Typical run 25–100 sets; turnaround 14–21 working days; sample handoff at our Al Quoz warehouse before bulk release. Invoiced in AED with USD on the same line.

Reception and breakfast giveaways

Mid-volume giveaways for the office breakfast, the team Iftar-style gathering, the partner breakfast or the customer open house on 1 Muharram: kraft-packaged dates selection, Arabic-engraved glassware, branded prayer mats for employee prayer rooms, individually wrapped premium chocolates, and small notebooks with the new-year calendar callout. Typical run 200–2 000 units; turnaround 7–10 working days; available with venue delivery to DWTC, ADNEC, Expo City Dubai, the Etihad Arena, the Coca-Cola Arena or the buyer's hotel ballroom.

Calligraphy, packaging and presentation services

Arabic and bilingual Arabic/English calligraphy on the lid of a presentation box, on a glass or pen barrel, or on a card; rigid gift boxes in white, navy, burgundy or kraft; ribbon, foil stamp, personalised cards and envelope printing. Used to lift a stock SKU into a presentation-grade gift. Typical turnaround 7–14 working days; can be combined with any of the other three kits above. Available with delivery to a Dubai office, an Abu Dhabi hotel or a GCC courier network address.

Production, decoration methods and Pantone match

Decoration choice on a Hijri New Year kit follows the same hierarchy as every other UAE programme. Embroidery (220–260 GSM cotton polos, caps, hoodies, premium totes) and laser engraving (metal pens, metal water bottles, metal card holders, anodised aluminium items) carry the VIP programme. UV direct print and pad printing handle the high-accuracy logos on curved or irregular surfaces (ceramic mugs, glassware, pen barrels, USB drives). DTF, DTG and silkscreen handle the volume giveaways where the unit cost matters more than the finish. A typical kit combines two decoration methods: one premium method for the VIP set (engraving on a metal pen), one high-volume method for the staff-kit (silkscreen on a tote).

Pantone match on a Hijri New Year programme is sensitive to two surfaces: the green and gold palette that recurs across the UAE-occasion gift range, and the deep navy and burgundy that recur on presentation boxes. We hold a substrate-specific Pantone library for the most common corporate blank types — ceramic, glass, metal, recycled cotton, recycled PET, kraft — and we send the substrate reference on the strike-off so the buyer can match the callout against the intended production surface. The strike-off is held to Delta-E ≤ 2.5 against the Pantone reference for stocked lines and ≤ 1.5 for VIP lines, on a calibrated spectrophotometer reading taken on the actual blank, not on a flat proof.

Artwork handling is built around a written sign-off. We do not move from sample to bulk on a verbal approval; a colour-tolerance reading on a Pantone Delta-E scale is documented in an email confirmation or a signed sample-approval form and a photograph of the approved sample on file. For Arabic calligraphy this matters more than usual: the ligatures, the diacritics and the direction (RTL vs LTR on a bilingual card) need a single sign-off point, and we route Arabic-only copy through a Dubai-based Arabic copywriter before the artwork enters production. Production starts the day after artwork sign-off, with a 5–10 working day window for standard SKUs and a 10–21 working day window for VIP sets and bespoke presentation boxes.

Recommended planning timeline for 1 Muharram

4–6 weeks before the announced date: lock the product list, the run size by tier (staff kit / VIP / reception giveaways), the decoration methods and the Pantone callouts. Issue the artwork brief to the Arabic copywriter and the English copywriter in parallel; both versions land on the artwork file by the end of week two.
3–4 weeks before: approve a physical strike-off sample on the actual blank, with the actual Pantone reference and the actual calligraphy. Validate the box, the ribbon, the personalised card and the envelope against the sample; the sample-approval form carries the Pantone callouts, the position coordinates, the scale and the agreed tolerance (Delta-E ≤ 2.5 stocked / ≤ 1.5 VIP).
1–2 weeks before: close production, run quality control, apply recipient labelling by tier (board / VIP / staff / reception), and pack the kits into the rigid gift boxes or kraft packaging. The bulk run is signed off in writing against the strike-off, with a Pantone reading on file for each Pantone reference.
Event week (working days before 1 Muharram): deliver to a Dubai office, an Abu Dhabi hotel, a free-zone plot (DAFZA, JAFZA, DMCC, ADGM, SAIF, HFZA, RAKFZ) or a GCC courier address. A 24-hour Dubai courier is reserved for emergency restock when a kit is damaged in transit or a recipient list has shifted at the last minute.

Pricing in AED, VAT 5%, and GCC reverse-charge

Pricing for a UAE Hijri New Year kit is quoted in AED by default, with USD on the same quote line using the AED 3.6725 peg. The peg has been stable since 1997; the FX risk inside the production window is effectively zero. A staff kit on a stock blank (mug, notebook, water bottle, dates selection) runs from AED 65 to AED 180 per set; a premium VIP kit with wooden presentation box and Arabic calligraphy runs from AED 250 to AED 950 per set; reception giveaways at volume (kraft-packaged dates, branded glassware, individually wrapped chocolates) run from AED 25 to AED 75 per unit. Volume discounts kick in at 250+ sets (5–10%), 500+ sets (10–18%), 1 000+ sets (18–28%), and 2 500+ sets up to 35%.

VAT 5% applies to all UAE-invoiced orders under the Federal Tax Authority framework, billed through the EmaraTax portal with the FTA verification code on the e-invoice. For consignments shipped inside a Designated Free Zone (DAFZA, JAFZA, DMCC, ADGM, SAIF, HFZA, RAKFZ) the supply may be zero-rated if the goods are consumed inside the free zone; for consignments shipped to the UAE mainland the VAT is added to the invoice. For GCC buyers (Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar) the consignment is invoiced VAT-free under the GCC reverse-charge mechanism; the buyer self-accounts for VAT in their home jurisdiction. For non-resident buyers outside the GCC the consignment is zero-VAT with an export declaration filed through the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security; a Certificate of Origin from the Dubai Chamber or the Abu Dhabi Chamber is available on request.

Payment for orders up to AED 7 500 is 100% on order confirmation, paid by bank transfer in AED to our Emirates NBD or Mashreq account, by USD bank transfer, or by corporate credit card on Stripe. For orders above AED 7 500 the standard terms are 50% deposit on order confirmation and 50% on delivery, with the sample cost credited against the deposit. Recurring clients are eligible for net 30 or net 45 terms on a credit-check basis. Credit terms are not typically offered on Hijri New Year rush orders because the production window is short and the materials are bought on the deposit; if a longer payment window is needed, the longer window needs to be flagged at the brief stage so the production schedule can be planned accordingly.

Packaging, calligraphy and presentation

Packaging on a UAE Hijri New Year kit carries as much weight as the product inside, particularly for VIP partner and client gifting. The packaging standard on a stock SKU is a kraft sleeve or a kraft box with a sticker seal; the packaging standard on a VIP SKU is a rigid gift box (white, navy, burgundy or kraft) with a foil-stamped or screen-printed lid, ribbon, a personalised card with the new-year message, and an envelope printed with the buyer's logo and address. The rigid box is sourced from a UAE-based packaging supplier with FSC mix or FSC 100% certification; the ribbon is sourced locally (satin in white, navy, burgundy or gold); the personalised card is printed on 350 GSM uncoated or 300 GSM coated stock with a single or double-sided print.

Arabic calligraphy is the visual centrepiece of a Hijri New Year kit and is one of the elements that most often goes wrong on a rush programme. The default Arabic style for UAE corporate gifting is a clear, readable Diwani or Thuluth calligraphy on the lid of the presentation box, on the front of the notebook, or on the engraving surface of the pen or the metal card. We route Arabic-only copy through a Dubai-based Arabic copywriter before the artwork enters production; bilingual cards (Arabic + English) are routed through both the Arabic copywriter and the English copywriter, with both versions signed off in writing before production starts. RTL/LTR alignment on a bilingual card is handled by the layout designer, not by the production team.

Reception and breakfast giveaways follow a kraft-packaging standard: a kraft sleeve with a sticker seal, a kraft box with a printed lid, or a clear cellophane wrap with a printed card. The kraft is sourced from a UAE-based FSC-certified supplier; the cellophane is compostable where the buyer's brief allows. For high-volume reception giveaways (1 000+ units) we offer a co-packing service at our Al Quoz warehouse, with a per-unit co-packing fee credited against the bulk order. Co-packing is reserved for clients who want the kit assembled in the UAE rather than assembled at the buyer's office.

Frequently asked questions

When is Hijri New Year in the UAE and how late is the date confirmed?

The Hijri New Year — 1 Muharram — is the first day of the new lunar year. Because the lunar year is roughly 11 days shorter than the solar year, the Gregorian date shifts every year; the UAE government confirms the exact date through the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security and the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, typically one to two working days before the holiday. For B2B merch planning we recommend a working assumption of a four-week production window from the brief to the delivery date and a one-week float on either side of the announced date, which covers the late announcement and the public-sector closure around the holiday.

What goes into a typical staff kit and a typical VIP partner kit?

A staff kit (run 100–500 sets) typically combines a mug or notebook with the Hijri year callout, a packaged dates selection, a branded water bottle or travel mug, and a card with the new-year message from the CEO or the managing director. A VIP partner kit (run 25–100 sets) typically combines a wooden or leather-look presentation box with Arabic calligraphy on the lid, a premium dates selection (Al Barakah, Bateel, or the buyer's own sourcing), a hand-engraved silver-tone pen, a linen-bound notebook with the year callout, and a personalised card. Reception giveaways (run 200–2 000 units) typically combine kraft-packaged dates, branded glassware, individually wrapped chocolates and small notebooks. Pricing per set starts from AED 65 for the staff kit, AED 250 for the VIP kit, AED 25 for reception giveaways.

Can the kit be delivered to a free zone or to the wider GCC?

Yes. Free-zone delivery to DAFZA, JAFZA, DMCC, ADGM, SAIF, HFZA or RAKFZ follows the authority's access protocol; the courier vehicle and driver are documented, and the recipient is named on the delivery note. GCC delivery to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman or Qatar runs on the courier network with a commercial invoice and, for Saudi-bound consignments, an Arabic translation and the SABER conformity documentation. Co-packing at our Al Quoz warehouse is available for kits that need to be assembled in the UAE rather than at the buyer's office, with a per-unit co-packing fee credited against the bulk order. VAT is handled per the GCC reverse-charge mechanism for cross-border GCC consignments.

Is Corp-Merch a partner, sponsor or official supplier of any government body, religious authority, association or platform named on this page?

No. Corp-Merch is an independent external supplier that helps UAE buyers arrange Hijri New Year corporate merch for their own staff, partners and clients. We are not affiliated with, sponsored by, or speaking on behalf of any government body, religious authority, calendar body, employer, association, free-zone authority, chamber or platform named on this page, including the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, the Federal Tax Authority, EmaraTax, DAFZA, JAFZA, DMCC, ADGM, SAIF, HFZA, RAKFZ, the Dubai Chamber, the Abu Dhabi Chamber, or any of the GCC trade and tax bodies referenced.

Corp-Merch is an independent external supplier to UAE buyers. This page helps teams plan a Hijri New Year corporate merch programme for their own staff, partners and clients; it does not represent any government body, religious authority, calendar body, employer, association, free-zone authority, chamber or trade body named above, and Corp-Merch is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or speaking on behalf of any such party.

Request a quote

Send a brief with the run size by tier (staff / VIP / reception), the preferred decoration method, the destination emirate or free zone, and any calligraphy or packaging requirements. We come back with sample pricing in AED, lead time in working days, and the bulk production line itemised for your Hijri New Year programme.