Indigenous leaders say Etsy’s planned fur ban would impact artisians, harvesters

Indigenous artisans and leaders say Etsy's incoming policy banning fur products does not account for the cultural significance of sustainable harvesting and the role fur plays in traditional artwork. (Tyler Fleming/CTV News Ottawa)

An online marketplace’s decision to ban many fur products is concerning some Indigenous leaders and artists who say the policy could threaten traditional practices and economic opportunities.

Etsy announced it will no longer allow the sale of products containing fur beginning Aug. 11. The company says the move is part of its efforts to support sustainability.

But Indigenous artisans and leaders say the policy does not account for the cultural significance of sustainable harvesting and the role fur plays in traditional artwork.

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For Manitoba artisan Shauna Fontaine, fur is more than a material, it is a way of preserving Indigenous culture.

“For Indigenous artists, this is our way of storytelling, through visual art,” says Fontaine, owner of Anishinaabe Girl Designs. “And I think that’s really important.”

Fontaine travelled to Ottawa for the Assembly of First Nations meeting, where she is selling her handmade craft and jewelry, including some pieces made with fur.

“I use weasel, I use mink, I also use some fox, I use skunk, seal skin, caribou,” she says. “I’m using the very bare minimum of materials in what I’m using to try to be as sustainable and as ethical as possible in my artistry. But I think as Indigenous nations, Indigenous peoples have always done that. We’ve used all parts, and we use everything that we could possibly use as a way to honour all of the different spirits of those beings.”

Chief Jenny Brake of Qalipu First Nation in Newfoundland and Labrador is calling on the Assembly of First Nations to take a stand against the policy. She has introduced a resolution urging Etsy to reconsider its decision.

Brake says harvesting animals is part of a longstanding relationship between Indigenous peoples, the land and the ecosystem.

“This issue impacts a lot of First Nations people and Inuit people as well,” says Chief Brake. “They depend on the sustainable harvest of animals, not just for the purpose of making crafts, but it’s a cultural practice, and it’s a part of our ecosystem. It is near and dear to our traditions and our values as Indigenous people. It’s something we’ve practised since time immemorial.”

She says decisions affecting Indigenous communities should involve consultation with those directly impacted.

“I hope that this organization, Etsy, and all other organizations that are pressured by unrealistic expectations or what they call biodiversity plans, they actually talk to the folks that are impacted by this,” says Brake. “If Etsy is really true to honoring craft and arts, then they will listen.”

The Fur Institute of Canada says fur harvested in Canada is already subject to strict regulations.

Executive Director Doug Chiasson says provincial and territorial governments oversee harvesting practices, and significant investments have been made to improve trapping standards.

“Rest assured that fur that’s harvested in Canada is harvested humanely,” says Chiasson, adding the policies that restrict access to online marketplaces can create additional barriers for people who rely on fur-based products. “This really was pressure from anti-fur groups that pushed Etsy to say, ‘It’s not worth our time and effort to put up with the harassment that we get,’ without thinking of the very real impacts that banning fur will have on rural and remote communities, on makers, on artisans, on vendors, on the platform and on Indigenous communities.”

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Fontaine, who also operates a storefront that supports up to 100 other Indigenous artists, hopes the resolution leads to change, because of the broader impact the Etsy policy could have for Indigenous entrepreneurs who rely on online platforms to sell their work.

“That [Etsy fur ban] is going to have an impact to Indigenous peoples globally, and to a way of life and sustainability and economic sovereignty,” she says. “I really do hope that Etsy pays attention and moves something forward to ensure that indigenous peoples can continue their way of life.”

CTV News Ottawa reached out to Etsy for comment but did not receive a response.