Sealing industry faces more uncertainty as Etsy moves to ban fur sales – Nunavut News
June 5, 2026
Arts online retailer Etsy’s decision to prohibit the sale of fur products, including sealskin, is raising concern among Nunavut legislators who say the move could affect Inuit artisans and seamstresses.
The issue was raised in the legislative assembly on May 28 by Aivilik MLA Hannah Angootealuk, who said Etsy announced a new animal products policy on April 2 that will ban the sale of fur products later this year.
“Etsy is a global online market where independent sellers and small businesses have listed products for sale over the past two decades,” Angootealuk said. “A number of Inuit have been selling their handmade products with sealskin and fox fur on the Etsy market for years.”
