Buying a crocodile or python leather accessory raises a fair question: is it legal? The answer sits in four letters, CITES.
What CITES is
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora is an international agreement signed by most countries. It lists species whose trade must be controlled so that it never threatens their survival. Crocodiles and pythons are among them.
What it means in practice
A listed species can only be traded with permits and paperwork that follow the hide from origin to finished product. Without that paperwork, trade is not legal.
How you know a piece is legal
Ask for the documentation. A legitimate seller can tell you what the documents are and gives you a copy. At Elevia, every exotic piece ships with its CITES certificate.
Other signs to look for
A price that is far below normal usually means the leather is not what it claims to be. Many "crocodile" products on the market are cowhide with a pattern pressed in, with no CITES paperwork because no exotic hide was used.
What to ask before you buy
Ask what species the leather is, whether the piece ships with a CITES certificate, and what documents you receive. If a seller cannot answer, keep looking.
See our crocodile collection.