Indigenous Arts Collective of Canada (IndigenARTSY) prohibits certain types of items. Some items present risks to our community; others are inconsistent with our values, are harmful to our members, or simply are not in the spirit of Indigenous Arts Collective of Canada (IndigenARTSY). This policy explains what is prohibited or restricted on Indigenous Arts Collective of Canada (IndigenARTSY).
ALL products submitted for sale on our website will require approval before being published.
This policy is a part of our Terms of Use. By opening an Indigenous Arts Collective of Canada (IndigenARTSY) store, you’re agreeing to this policy and our Terms of Use.
1. Products related to crimes against Indigenous people.
This organization is dedicated to the healing of Indigenous people. Issues of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Residential Schools, Sixties Scoop and other crimes against Indigenous people will always be taken seriously and with respect.
Imagery representing crimes against Indigenous people include, but are not limited to:
- Red dress imagery
- Hand print imagery
- Orange shirts
- BIPOC (Black Indigenous People of Colour), Black Lives Matter imagery or text of any kind.
This imagery and their respective subject matter have been carefully considered by the Indigenous Arts Collective of Canada (IndigenARTSY).
This organization finds that some items promote healing, raise awareness and comfort people affected by 'crimes against Indigenous people'.
Vendors are allowed to sell hand made products containing 'crimes against Indigenous people' imagery provided they are in agreement that the Indigenous Arts Collective of Canada (IndigenARTSY) will withhold a minimum of 40% of the retail price (price listed) to be donated to the IACC (you will be asked for receipts if you claim to donate elsewhere). This deduction will be applied when the item sells and the artists requests to withdrawl profits from their IndigenARTSY account. At the end of each fiscal year, Indigenous Arts Collective of Canada (IndigenARTSY) will donate all proceeds to reputable organizations in Canada.
Products that are NOT allowed:
Printed material (t-shirts, masks, plastic buttons, cards, ect.) containing imagery that relates to crimes against Indigenous people.
Products that are hand made and ARE allowed:
Beaded jewelry
Acrylic/Oil paintings
Photographs
Carvings made from any natural materials (antler, wood, bone, etc.)
*All items that are suspected to relate to the subject matter of 'crimes against Indigenous people' will be examined and discussed before publishing. Please inquire by email to contact@indigenartsy.com.
Other Prohibited and Restricted Products
The following types of items are prohibited or restricted on Indigenous Arts Collective of Canada (IndigenARTSY) :
- Alcohol, Tobacco, Drugs, Drug Paraphernalia, and Medical Drugs
- Animal Products and Human Remains
- Dangerous Items: Hazardous Materials, Recalled Items, and Weapons
- Hate Items: Items that Promote, Support, or Glorify Hatred, racism and all forms of violence
- Illegal Items, Items Promoting Illegal Activity, and Highly Regulated Items
- Internationally Regulated Items
- Pornography and Mature Content
- Violent Items: Items that Promote, Support, or Glorify Violence
Policy decisions are complex. We consider many different and often divergent factors before coming to a decision about what is best for our community. Because we are a creative community, we err on the side of freedom of expression. We also tend to allow items that have educational, historical or artistic value, but we know that even those items are subject to a variety of valid and sometimes conflicting interpretations and emotional responses.
Art, Indigenous spirituality, history and culture can be provocative, emotional and divisive. There are some topics on which we may never reach a consensus as a community, and that is okay.
In order to help provide clarity and insight into our policy making process, we have included the rationale behind our decisions and details about how they will be enforced, including some representative examples below of what is allowed on Indigenous Arts Collective of Canada (IndigenARTSY) . We reserve the right to remove listings that we determine are not within the spirit of Indigenous Arts Collective of Canada (IndigenARTSY). Violating this policy will result in the member's selling privileges being suspended and/or terminated.
2. Alcohol, Tobacco, Drugs, Drug Paraphernalia, Holistic and Medical Drugs
Alcohol and drugs are prohibited on Indigenous Arts Collective of Canada (IndigenARTSY) . These substances face serious legal restrictions and in many cases are considered controlled substances under applicable law. Our policy also applies to other substances that have or are claimed to have an intoxicating or healing effect. Possible legal restrictions aside, these substances are not in the spirit of Indigenous Arts Collective of Canada (IndigenARTSY) and carry great responsibility to make and distribute.
More Details:
The following are examples of items that may not be sold on Indigenous Arts Collective of Canada (IndigenARTSY) :
- Alcohol.
- Cigarettes, cigars, smokeable products, e-cigarettes and e-liquid.
- Drugs and certain herbal substances, including substances used for recreational and medicinal purposes, regardless of their legality.
- Drug paraphernalia, including, for example: items with a carburetor; slides and/or items with a slide; bongs and bubblers; vaporizers and their components.
- Sacred pipes or other tools for smoking.
- Medical drugs, regulated medical devices, and pharmaceuticals.
- Sacred medicines (tobacco, sage, sweetgrass and cedar) may not be sold as a single item. These may however, be used in the creation of art. For example: you may make earrings from a sweetgrass braid. You are allowed to include small samples of sacred medicines in your work for aesthetic and spiritual reasons.
Restrictions on descriptions of purported health benefits:
A medical drug claim is statement or suggestion that an item prevents, heals, or treats a medical condition or disease. Medical drug claims are subject to varying degrees of regulation. If you make claims about the purported health benefits of an item for sale on Indigenous Arts Collective of Canada (IndigenARTSY), we urge you to speak with a qualified expert about which regulations apply to you. It is your responsibility to know and comply with all laws and regulations that apply to the items you sell.
Indigenous Arts Collective of Canada (IndigenARTSY) prohibits certain medical drug claims based on our values, such as claims likely to deceive or pose an unreasonable risk to our community. Etsy may remove claims that we deem to be inappropriate, excessive, or otherwise unsuitable for our marketplace. We also remove content that promotes prohibited medical claims, such as anti-vaccine items.
Indigenous Arts Collective of Canada (IndigenARTSY) reserves the right to remove any and all questionable products from the platform and it will not be subject for discussion.
The following forms of body products may be acceptable. Vendors must submit an ingredient list with sources to seek approval.
- lip balm
- body scents
- bath salts and aromas
3. Sacred Items, Animal Products and Human Remains
Certain animal products are highly regulated and prohibited on Indigenous Arts Collective of Canada (IndigenARTSY) due to the risk of harm to live, companion, or endangered animals and the disrespect to Indigenous cultures.
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The following are examples of animal products that may not be sold on Indigenous Arts Collective of Canada (IndigenARTSY). This is not inclusive, is subject to change and questionable products will require approval.
- Live animals.
- Items created using any endangered or threatened animal species. We define these as animal species designated as threatened or endangered by the Government of Canada (https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/convention-international-trade-endangered-species/list.html) US Endangered Species Act or listed in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
- Items made from cat and dog parts or pelts.
- Ivory or bones from ivory-producing animals, including tusks, elk ivory, fossilized ivory and woolly mammoth ivory.
- Items made from human remains or products from the human body.
- Individual feathers from any bird that are not incorporated into a body of art (you may incorporate feathers in your jewelry, dreamcatchers, beadwork, etc.)
- Any part of any type of Eagle.
- Any part of any bear (some exceptions, see 'Allowed')
- Sacred items such as masks, some rattles, pipes, etc. are not allowed.
Allowed:
The following are allowed to be incorporated into traditional indigenous art but are not allowed to be sold as individual items:
- Imitation bone, hide, feathers or sinew.
- Imitation (Non Ivory) bone, antlers.
- Ethically sourced, North American deer, moose and other hides.
- Ethically sourced, North American deer, moose, elk antlers, nails/claws.
- Ethically sourced, North American furs (rabbit, beaver, raccoon, skunk, deer, moose, elk, etc.) used in the creation of a traditional Indigenous art.
- Ethically sourced porcupine quills.
- Bear fur/hide when incorporated into traditional Indigenous arts and crafts in sizes under 12 square inches.
- Textiles made from farmed animal hair (sheep, alpaca, etc.)
- Horsehair
4. Dangerous Items: Hazardous Materials, Recalled Items and Weapons
For safety and legal reasons, and reasons relating to issues of violence against women, we prohibit all dangerous items from our marketplace.
More details:
Hazardous Materials
Due to the potential harm caused by hazardous materials, as well as complex legal and delivery regulations surrounding such materials, hazardous materials are prohibited on our website.
While not exhaustive, the following materials are examples of prohibited hazardous materials:
- Explosives (fireworks or sparklers)
- Explosive precursors
- Flammable items
- Gases
- Radioactive material
- Toxic substances (such as poisons)
Recalled Items or Items that Present Unreasonable Risk of Harm
Items that have been recalled by governments or manufacturers are prohibited from being sold or incorporated into any products.
Items that present an unreasonable risk of harm are prohibited, even if they have not been the subject of a recall. This would include, for example, items that present a choking hazard. We generally rely on information from various government agencies to identify these items.
Weapons
Context matters when it comes to defining what is or is not a weapon. When in doubt, it’s safe to assume that we won’t allow any item intended to be used as a weapon to inflict harm. The following items are generally not allowed on Indigenous Arts Collective of Canada (IndigenARTSY):
- Guns, knives, or other blatant weapons, even if they are vintage or made from bone or stone.
- Slingshots, bow and arrows, tomahawks, etc.
- Imitation firearms and weapons that look real or are prohibited by US law
5. Hate Items: Items that Promote, Support or Glorify Hatred
Indigenous Arts Collective of Canada (IndigenARTSY) is a community where people of all backgrounds, nationalities, religions, political affiliations and even different types of artistic taste and humour feel welcome. We will not allow any language or items that are offensive to any person, animal or spirit.
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Indigenous Arts Collective of Canada (IndigenARTSY) does not allow items or listings that promote, support or glorify hatred towards people or otherwise demean people based upon: race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, gender identity, disability, or sexual orientation (collectively, “protected groups”). We also prohibit items or content that promote organizations or people with such views.
The following items are not allowed on Indigenous Arts Collective of Canada (IndigenARTSY):
- Items that support or commemorate current or historical hate groups, including propaganda or collectibles. Examples of hate groups include Nazi or Neo-Nazi groups, Ku Klux Klan (KKK) groups, white supremacist groups, misogynist groups, or groups that advocate anti-gay, anti-immigrant, or Holocaust denial agendas.
- Items that contain racial slurs or derogatory terms in reference to protected groups.
6. Illegal Items, Items Promoting Illegal Activity and Highly Regulated Items
We respect the law and expect Indigenous Arts Collective of Canada (IndigenARTSY) sellers to respect the law as well.
7. Internationally Regulated Items
Indigenous Arts Collective of Canada (IndigenARTSY) provides a direct connection between buyers and sellers around the world. If you buy or sell an item from another country, or if you enter into a transaction with someone across international borders, you are responsible for complying with laws and regulations of the country of destination as well as your local laws.
Be aware that there are many Indigenous art forms and products that you may not be allowed to ship outside of Canada.
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When buying and selling internationally, you should comply with your local laws and be aware that other countries may have their own restrictions. You might be prohibited from exporting or importing certain items under international laws and regulations. Some transactions may require licences, permits, or other documentation. If you have questions about how to comply with the law, we recommend that you speak to a qualified professional.
When you use Indigenous Arts Collective of Canada (IndigenARTSY) services, you are also responsible for complying with economic sanctions and trade restrictions.
Indigenous Arts Collective of Canada (IndigenARTSY) reserves the right to request that sellers provide additional information, disclose an item's country of origin in a listing, or take other steps to meet compliance obligations.
You should be aware that third-party payment processors, such as PayPal, may independently monitor transactions for sanctions compliance and may block some transactions as part of their own compliance programmes. Indigenous Arts Collective of Canada (IndigenARTSY) has no authority or control over the independent decision-making of these providers.
8. Pornography and Mature Content
As a creative community, we tend to be fairly liberal about what we allow on Indigenous Arts Collective of Canada (IndigenARTSY), but we draw the line at pornography. Beyond that, we restrict mature content so that people who are offended by this kind of material don't have to see it. If you are selling mature content, we ask that you be respectful of differing sensibilities.
More Details:
Pornography of any sort is prohibited on Indigenous Arts Collective of Canada (IndigenARTSY), whereas mature content is restricted.
9. Violent Items: Items that Promote, Support or Glorify Violence
We want Indigenous Arts Collective of Canada (IndigenARTSY) to be a safe place for everyone. While violent content can be a legitimate part of historical, educational or artistic expression, it should never be used to promote or glorify violent acts against others.
More Details:
We do not allow items or listings that promote, support or glorify acts of violence or harm towards self or others, including credible threats of harm.
The following items are not allowed on Indigenous Arts Collective of Canada (IndigenARTSY):
- Items that glorify human suffering or tragedies, including items that commemorate or honour serial killers
- Items that attempt to exploit natural disasters or human tragedies
- Items that encourage, glorify, or celebrate acts of violence against individuals or groups
- Items that encourage self-mutilation, starvation or other self-harm
