Human remains and most products derived from the human body are prohibited
What this rule means
Etsy prohibits human remains and most products or parts from the human body. Items made from human remains or body products are not permitted, with exceptions for teeth, nails, hair, and non-consumable items made with breast milk. Replicas and artistic works are a different matter, but they should be described clearly as such.
What Etsy says
Human remains, products, or parts from the human body. Exceptions: Teeth, nails, hair, and non-consumable items made with breast-milkRead Etsy's full Prohibited Items Policy
Why Etsy has this rule
Human remains are a sensitive subject, and the law around them varies widely from place to place. Etsy's policy states that human remains, products, or parts from the human body are prohibited. Selling them raises questions of consent, dignity, safety, and legality that a marketplace cannot settle listing by listing.
The exceptions for teeth, fingernails, and hair reflect items that people have long kept, such as keepsake jewelry. Everything else from the human body stays off Etsy. The rule helps keep the marketplace respectful for buyers and for the families of the people involved.
Common mistakes
- Listing a skull or bone as a curiosity, a collectible, or an oddity.
- Selling jewelry or art that uses human bone, skin, or organ material.
- Offering items said to contain blood, bodily fluids, or tissue.
- Marketing an item as genuine human remains for occult or ritual use.
- Using a vague phrase such as 'real specimen' that makes buyers think the item is human.
- Selling a realistic replica without saying clearly that it is a replica.
- Assuming that an old item, such as an antique, is exempt because of its age.
Examples
- AllowedYou sell a keepsake piece of jewelry made with hair.
- AllowedYou sell a resin skull that your listing clearly describes as a replica or an art piece.
- AllowedYou sell an anatomy illustration or a medical-themed print.
- AllowedYou sell a wig made from human hair.
- Not allowedYou sell a skull or other bone described as human.
- Not allowedYou sell jewelry that contains human tissue or a bodily fluid.
- Not allowedYou sell an item described as authentic human remains for curiosity or ritual use.
How to stay compliant
- Delist any item claimed to contain human bone, tissue, organ material, blood, or bodily fluids.
- Note that human hair, teeth, and fingernails are explicitly exempt from this prohibition and may remain listed.
- If an item is an artistic representation or replica, clarify this clearly in the listing description to avoid triggering review.
Effort: low · 15-30 minutes
If your suspension email cites this rule
Read the email and find the listing it names. Look at what the item is made of, and read the title and description for words that suggest human origin. A replica listed as 'real' or described vaguely can look like human remains to a reviewer who only sees the page.
If the item contains human bone, tissue, blood, or other parts beyond the exceptions, remove it and check your shop for similar ones. If the item is a replica or artwork, rewrite the listing so it says plainly what the item is made from. Keep your supplier records and any materials information on hand when you reply. Etsy makes the final decision, and you should not expect a particular result.
Suspended over this rule?
Generate a complete, ready-to-submit Etsy appeal for this exact violation.
Common questions
Can I sell items made with human hair?
Yes. Etsy's policy lists teeth, nails, hair, and non-consumable items made with breast milk as exceptions to the prohibition. Items made from other human body parts or products are not permitted.
Can I sell a replica skull?
A replica is not human remains, but your listing should say clearly that it is a replica or an art piece. Vague wording can lead to a review.
Is antique human remains allowed?
Etsy's policy as quoted does not describe an exception for age. Do not list items made of human remains, whatever their age. If you are unsure, ask Etsy's seller support first.
Does the rule cover bodily fluids?
Yes. The guidance for this rule lists blood, bodily fluids, and tissue among the items to remove.
Can I sell anatomy art or medical-themed designs?
Yes. Drawings, prints, and designs about anatomy are not human remains. The rule applies to items made from the body, not to pictures of it.
Related prohibited items policy rules
- Guns, blatant weapons, and imitation firearms are prohibitedSuspension risk
- Controlled substances, drug paraphernalia, and medical drugs are prohibitedSuspension risk
- Items that promote, support, or glorify hatred or discriminatory ideology are prohibitedSuspension risk
- Alcohol, tobacco, and gambling items are prohibitedSuspension risk
- Live animals and products from protected or prohibited species are prohibitedSuspension risk
- Counterfeit currency, fake identification documents, and fraudulent items are prohibitedSuspension risk
- Products that have been officially recalled by governments or manufacturers are prohibitedSuspension risk
- Hazardous materials, explosives, and radioactive items are prohibitedSuspension risk
- Medical drugs, medical devices, and items that claim to treat or cure a disease are prohibitedSuspension risk
- Depictions of the sexualization of minors are prohibitedListing deactivation
- Pornography is prohibited; mature content must be listed and tagged correctlySuspension risk
- Toxic substances and hazardous chemical ingredients are prohibited or restrictedSuspension risk
- Items under complex legal regulation or registration systems may not be soldSuspension risk
- Items that pose a health or safety hazard, including unsafe toys, are prohibitedSuspension risk