All items · Restricted materials
Ivory and items that may contain ivory
Also covers: ivory ornament, ivory keys, tusk, bone carving
Can you donate ivory and items that may contain ivory to a UK charity shop? Usually not.
Why shops may refuse it
The Ivory Act bans most dealing in ivory unless a specific exemption applies, so ordinary shops are unlikely to accept it.
What to do instead
Do not assume an old item is exempt. Ask a reputable specialist to identify it and check the current exemption and registration rules.
Charity by charity
43 mentions-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Items made from ivory”
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Can't accept
Due to legal reasons.
Their wording
“Items made from ivory... Real fur or fur-trimmed items”
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Can't accept
Also bone, turtle/tortoiseshell and CITES-listed endangered-species products; pre-1900 ivory inlays exempt.
Their wording
“The trade in ivory is banned, except for pre-1900 furniture, wooden items or pianos with ivory inlays or keys”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Real fur, Taxidermy, and Ivory”
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Can't accept
Also animal specimens and CITES-listed items such as tortoiseshell, ivory/bone, and taxidermy.
Their wording
“Animal furs (clothing & non-clothing)”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Ivory”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Ivory, fur or taxidermy”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“items containing ivory, fur, or endangered species”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Real fur or ivory products”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Ethically Inappropriate Items i.e.. Ivory and Fur”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Ivory and real fur items”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Items made from ivory, bone, tutleshell, tortoiseshell, furs or any items made from endangered species”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“ivory”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Items made of ivory.”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Items containing ivory, bone, turtle and tortoise-shell”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Ivory”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Any items made from ivory or items made from endangered species”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Ivory”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Animal products including ivory, bone and tortoiseshell.”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Ivory and Fur Due to legal reasons.”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Items made from ivory”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Ivory”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“items made from endangered species, including ivory”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Thank you for thinking of us. Unfortunately, we’re unable to accept this item because of legal restrictions. Some things need special licences or checks that we’re not able to have in place.”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Items made from ivory”
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Can't accept
Items made from ivory listed under items the charity cannot take.
Their wording
“Underwear, safety equipment, safety helmets, safety harnesses, cycle helmets, life jackets or buoyancy aids, weapons, prescription glasses, items made from ivory, personal items, such as shavers (unless unused and in a sealed box)”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Items made from fur, ivory, bone, tortoiseshell, or endangered species”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Ivory, fur”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“ivory”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Items made from ivory”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Ivory”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Animal products such as furs, ivory or taxidermy”
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Can't accept
Also excludes crocodile, alligator and snakeskin products.
Their wording
“We do not sell or take donations of ivory or real fur.”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Ivory”
- Can't accept
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Items made from ivory”
-
Can't accept
Listed under "Items that we cannot collect" (furniture collection service, van crews).
Their wording
“Ivory or fur”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Real fur / Ivory / bone / tortoise shell items”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Ivory or bone items.”
-
Check first
Only ivory goods produced after 1947 are refused.
Their wording
“Ivory goods after 1947”
- Check first
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Check first
Pre-1900 antique items with ivory may be accepted with an affidavit from an antiques dealer confirming legality.
Their wording
“Items made of ivory (legal reasons). The trade in ivory is banned, except for pre-1900 furniture, wooden items or pianos with ivory inlays or keys and items believed to be ‘antique’. An affidavit from an antiques dealer is required to ensure items are sold legally.”
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Check first
Ivory produced after June 1947 is refused; earlier pieces can be sold.
Their wording
“ivory produced after June 1947, taxidermy produced after June 1947”
Not mentioned in 110 charities' guidance
Absence from a charity's list doesn't mean they accept it — it just isn't singled out. Ask your local shop.
- Acorns Children's Hospice
- Age UK
- Ardgowan Hospice
- Ashgate Hospicecare
- Ayrshire Hospice
- Barnardo's
- Barnsley Hospice
- Blythe House Hospice
- Bolton Hospice
- Butterwick Hospice
- Children's Hospice South West
- Children's Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS)
- Claire House Children's Hospice
- Cransley Hospice Trust
- Crisis
- DEBRA
- Derian House Children's Hospice
- Douglas Macmillan Hospice
- East Lancashire Hospice
- FARA Charity Shops
- Farleigh Hospice
- Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity
- Garden House Hospice Care
- Great Oaks Hospice
- Great Western Air Ambulance Charity
- Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice
- Helen & Douglas House
- Highland Hospice
- Hope House & Ty Gobaith Children's Hospices
- Hospice at Home Carlisle and North Lakeland
- Hospice in the Weald
- Hospice Isle of Man
- Hospice of the Valleys
- Jersey Hospice Care
- Katharine House Hospice (Stafford)
- Katharine House Hospice, Banbury
- Keech Hospice Care
- Lindsey Lodge Hospice
- LOROS Hospice
- Marie Curie
- Martin House Children's Hospice
- Moya Cole Hospice
- Naomi House & Jack's Place
- Nightingale House Hospice
- North Devon Hospice
- North London Hospice
- Octavia Foundation
- Oxfam
- PDSA
- Pendleside Hospice
- Phyllis Tuckwell
- Pilgrims Hospices
- Primrose Hospice
- Prospect Hospice
- Rainbows Hospice for Children and Young People
- Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care
- Rotherham Hospice
- Royal Trinity Hospice (London)
- Saint Francis Hospice
- Samaritans
- Save the Children
- Scope
- Sense Scotland
- Severn Hospice
- Shaw Trust
- Shelter
- Shooting Star Children's Hospices
- Springhill Hospice
- St Andrew's Hospice (Lanarkshire)
- St Barnabas Hospice (Lincolnshire)
- St Catherine's Hospice (Crawley)
- St Catherine's Hospice (Lancashire)
- St Christopher's Hospice
- St Clare Hospice
- St Columba's Hospice
- St Cuthbert's Hospice
- St David's Hospice Care
- St Giles Hospice
- St Helena Hospice
- St John's Hospice (London)
- St Luke's Cheshire Hospice
- St Luke's Hospice (Harrow & Brent)
- St Luke's Hospice Basildon & Thurrock
- St Luke's Hospice Plymouth
- St Margaret's Hospice Care (Somerset)
- St Michael's Hospice (North Hampshire)
- St Peter & St James Hospice
- St Raphael's Hospice
- St Richard's Hospice
- St Vincent de Paul Society (SVP)
- St Vincent's Hospice
- Strathcarron Hospice
- The Kirkwood
- The Myton Hospices
- The Prince of Wales Hospice
- The Shakespeare Hospice
- Traid
- Tynedale Hospice at Home
- Wakefield Hospice
- Wales Air Ambulance
- Weldmar Hospicecare
- Willen Hospice
- Willow Burn Hospice
- Willow Wood Hospice
- Willowbrook Hospice
- Wirral Hospice St John's
- Wisdom Hospice
- Woking & Sam Beare Hospices
- Woodgreen Pets Charity
- YMCA (England & Wales)