Etsy · listing removed
Etsy removed my listing under the prohibited items policy
Which words and categories trigger Etsy's prohibited items policy for handmade sellers, how to fix the listing, and when an appeal makes sense.
Etsy's Prohibited Items Policy bans some products outright and restricts others. For makers, removals usually come from how a listing is described rather than what it is.
Common triggers for handmade items
| Area | Examples that cause flags |
|---|---|
| Health and medical claims | "cures", "heals", "treats anxiety", "anti-inflammatory" on soaps, balms, crystals, candles |
| Weapons | knife-like tools, replica weapons, some wording around "blade" or "self-defense" |
| Drugs and paraphernalia | cannabis-themed names, pipe or grinder wording |
| Hazardous materials | some resins, essential-oil concentrations, recalled components |
| Animal products | parts of protected species, some feathers and ivory-like materials |
What to do
- Read the notice for the exact section cited. It tells you whether the item or the wording is the problem.
- Rewrite claims as descriptions. "Lavender-scented soap" instead of "soap that relieves stress".
- Run the text through a checker. Our free listing risk checker flags claim and category words before Etsy does.
- Appeal if you believe it's allowed. Explain what the item is, what it's made from, and what you changed.
If the item really is prohibited
Remove it from your shop. Repeated prohibited-item removals can restrict selling privileges.
General information, not legal advice.
Questions
- My item isn't dangerous. Why was it removed?
- Removals are often triggered by wording rather than the item itself — for example health claims on soap or candles, or words associated with weapons or drugs in a product name.
- Can I just relist with different words?
- If the item is allowed and only the wording was the issue, editing and appealing is usually better than relisting. Relisting a genuinely prohibited item can lead to shop restrictions.
Related
- Etsy removed my listing after an intellectual property report
- Etsy says my item is resold or not handmade — how to respond
- Etsy suspended my shop — what it means and what to do
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