What Products Can You Sell on Etsy?

Products on Etsy must fit one of Etsy’s creativity categories, which keeps the marketplace focused on original, human-made goods. In practice, that means handmade items you made or significantly altered, your own designs sold as digital downloads or produced with a disclosed production partner, and vintage pieces that are at least 20 years old. You can also sell craft and party supplies that help other people make or personalize something, but mass-produced reselling and most services are not the point here. The tricky part is where “supply” ends and “ready-to-use product” begins, and that line trips up a lot of new shops.

Etsy Creativity Standards: what qualifies as handmade, designed, curated, or sourced

Handmade items and made by a seller

On Etsy, “handmade” typically means the item is made by the seller. That includes pieces you craft by hand, items you significantly alter using real handcrafting skills, or items you assemble into a distinct finished product. Etsy also allows physical goods made with computerized tools (like a Cricut, laser cutter, CNC, or 3D printer), but the key is that the work is based on your original design and you are the one producing it in your own workspace.

What does not count as handmade is simple “assembly” that follows a manufacturer’s instructions, or superficial changes to a mass-produced item. And if you didn’t design or make it, you generally can’t list it as handmade.

If you want the exact definitions and examples, Etsy spells them out in its Creativity Standards.

Original designs and designed by a seller

If your product is primarily your creative work, but production happens elsewhere, it usually falls under designed by a seller. Common examples are:

• Digital downloads of your original designs (templates, graphics, art, printable files, etc.).
• Your original designs produced with a production partner, as long as the production partner is disclosed and your dispatch details are accurate.
• AI-assisted creations based on your original prompts, as long as you disclose AI use in the listing description.

A good rule of thumb: Etsy is looking for your original design contribution, not a file bundle, scan, or artwork you didn’t create.

Curated and sourced items that still qualify

Etsy also has categories that are not “handmade,” but can still fit the platform:

• Handpicked by a seller (curated): vintage items, items from nature, and certain curated collections you personally select for sale.
• Sourced by a seller: items that enable buyer creativity, like craft supplies and party supplies, plus certain buyer-personalized items made with a production partner.

This is where many sellers slip up. Etsy draws a hard line between true supplies (materials, tools, blanks meant to be crafted on) and ready-to-use resold products. If it’s basically finished and you’re just flipping it, it usually won’t qualify. For a plain-language overview, see Etsy’s What Can I Sell on Etsy? page.

Allowed product types on Etsy: handmade goods, vintage items, and craft supplies

Handmade product categories that typically fit

Most Etsy shops start with handmade goods. These are physical products you make yourself, or produce in your own workspace using tools (including computerized tools) based on your original design. Common handmade product types that typically fit Etsy include jewelry, apparel you cut and sew, pottery, woodworking, candles and soap you formulate and pour, handmade paper goods, original art, and custom decor.

Personalization is usually fine when it’s real creative work, like custom sizing, colorways, engraving, or made-to-order variations. What tends to get shops in trouble is listing something as handmade when it’s actually a ready-to-ship factory product, or when your “work” is limited to repackaging, adding a simple charm, or making a minor change.

Vintage eligibility rules and dating requirements

Vintage on Etsy is straightforward: items must be at least 20 years old. That “20 years” is a rolling threshold, so it changes every year. Your listing should also be honest about the era and condition, since “vintage” is not a style word on Etsy. It’s an age-based category.

If you can’t reasonably support the age claim, it’s safer to list the item elsewhere or choose a different product category. Mislabeling modern items as vintage is one of the easiest ways to trigger a policy issue.

Craft supplies, party supplies, and commercial use items

Etsy allows craft supplies and party supplies because they enable other people’s creativity. Supplies can be handmade, commercial, or vintage, but they need to be primarily for crafting or event decorating, not a normal retail product being resold. Etsy gives clear examples of what qualifies, and what does not, in its Creativity Standards.

A practical way to think about it: if a buyer can use it “as-is” for everyday life (like a plain blank t-shirt, tumbler, or generic house hardware), it often won’t qualify as a supply on Etsy, even if crafters sometimes use it.

Digital products on Etsy: downloads, templates, and digital design assets

Instant downloads and digital files

Digital products are one of the cleanest “designed by a seller” categories on Etsy. You create the file, the buyer purchases it, and Etsy delivers it as a download. Etsy supports two formats: instant downloads (ready-made files) and made-to-order downloads (a custom file you deliver after purchase). The setup details matter, especially if you sell customization. Etsy’s guide on digital listings covers the basics, including supported file types, file limits, and how delivery works.

A practical tip: write your listing like a digital storefront, not a physical one. Clearly state what the buyer receives (file type, size, dimensions, software compatibility, and what’s not included, like printing or framing). Also note that buyers generally need to download from a browser, not the Etsy app, so add a short “how to download” line to reduce support messages.

POD-style digital designs and what makes them original

Many sellers offer POD-style digital designs (SVGs, PNGs, typography designs, pattern files) intended for printing on shirts, mugs, stickers, or signs. Etsy expects these to be your original work, not a bundle of clipart you didn’t create, not a scan of someone else’s art, and not a repackaged “commercial license” file from another designer.

If you’re using templates, fonts, or stock elements, the safest approach is to use assets you’re licensed to use, then add meaningful original design work. If the final design is basically the stock asset, it’s risky.

Licensing, attribution, and usage rights basics

For digital products, licensing is not optional. You should:

• Sell only files you created or have the rights to sell.
• Say what buyers can do with the file: personal use, small business use, or commercial use.
• Be explicit about what’s not allowed, like reselling or redistributing the file itself.

Attribution rules depend on the assets you used. If an element requires credit, include clear attribution instructions in the listing description and in a PDF included in the download.

Production partners and AI: what you can sell with proper disclosure

When production partners are allowed

Production partners are allowed when the product is still fundamentally your work, but you outsource part of the making. The most common examples are print-on-demand apparel and home goods, commercial printing for your illustrated books or stationery, cut-and-sew for your patterns, or specialty services that manufacture to your specifications.

The key is this: Etsy expects you to be the designer or creative owner of the item. Production partners are not a workaround for reselling. If you’re buying ready-made products from a factory or wholesaler and having them shipped under your brand, that’s usually considered prohibited reselling, not “production help.”

How to disclose production partners in listings

Etsy wants buyers to understand how an item is made and where it ships from. Disclosure is done inside your shop settings and connected to the listings that use that partner. Etsy’s help guide on Working with Production Partners walks through the steps and what does and does not count as a production partner.

Also double-check your shipping profiles. If the item ships from your partner’s location, your listing needs to reflect that so buyers aren’t misled.

AI-assisted design and required transparency

Etsy allows AI-assisted work, but it expects transparency. If you used AI to generate the artwork or core design, you should say so clearly in the listing description. Keep it simple and specific. Buyers mostly want to know what they’re getting and how it was made.

A good disclosure line is short: “This design was created with AI using my original prompts and then refined by me.”

Listing disclosure fields to complete

• Add the correct production partner to the listing (if a third party prints, makes, or ships the item).
• Ensure your “Who made it?” and related listing details reflect that a partner helps produce it.
• Set an accurate ship-from location (and processing time) based on where the order actually dispatches.
• Include an AI disclosure in the listing description when AI was used to generate the design or artwork.

Etsy prohibited items and restricted content that can get listings removed

Counterfeit items and intellectual property violations

One of the fastest ways to lose listings on Etsy is selling anything that looks like a brand “dupe,” “replica,” or “inspired” item. If you use a company’s name, logo, character, or protected design without permission, Etsy may treat it as counterfeit or unauthorized even if you made it by hand.

The same goes for fan art and trending slogans. “I created the file myself” is not a defense if the underlying brand or character is protected. Keep your titles, tags, and photos clean too. Even keyword stuffing with trademarked terms can create problems.

If you want to stay in the safest lane, build listings around original designs, original product photos, and text you wrote yourself. If you’re unsure whether you have the rights to sell something, it’s better to change the product concept before you invest in inventory.

Weapons, drugs, and regulated goods

Etsy prohibits many items for safety and legal reasons. That includes alcohol, tobacco, drugs, drug paraphernalia, and many hazardous or regulated goods. Weapons are also a common removal trigger. Etsy’s rules are strict, and “it’s vintage” or “it’s for self-defense” doesn’t automatically make an item allowed.

This area also includes items that enable illegal activity or evade detection, plus certain highly regulated goods that vary by country and state.

Adult content and other restricted materials

Etsy restricts nudity and sexual content, and it treats pornography differently from mature content that may be allowed with correct labeling. Listings that promote, support, or glorify hatred or violence are also prohibited and can lead to quick action on your shop.

Before listing anything borderline, read Etsy’s Prohibited Items Policy and match your listing photos, language, and category choices to what Etsy allows right now.

Policy enforcement on Etsy: listing removals, shop suspensions, and appeals

What happens after a policy violation

When Etsy flags a policy issue, the most common first step is a listing removal (the listing becomes inactive). Etsy may also restrict features, remove badges, or escalate to a temporary or permanent shop suspension if violations repeat or are severe.

Practically, you’ll usually see two signals:

• An email explaining what happened (check spam folders too).
• A notice in Shop Manager that points you toward the problem listing or policy area.

If you’re trying to recover quickly, focus on what Etsy tends to care about most: remove or fix any similar listings, correct your “who made it” and production partner details, and make sure your photos and description match how the item is actually made.

Reporting listings that break the rules

If you spot a listing that seems prohibited, misleading, or unsafe, use Etsy’s built-in “report” option on the listing or shop page. Keep the report factual and specific (for example, “this appears to be a mass-produced branded item listed as handmade”). Reporting is meant for policy concerns, not order problems. If you bought something and it arrived wrong, it’s usually better to contact the seller and use Etsy’s case system.

Appealing a takedown and next steps

Etsy has an appeal process for some enforcement actions. For example, Etsy’s listing-appeal feature has been rolling out gradually, and listings removed for Creativity Standards issues after July 15, 2025 may be eligible. If the option is available for your shop, you typically have 90 days from the removal date to submit an appeal, and Etsy may take about 10 to 12 business days to review it.

For permanent account suspensions, Etsy generally allows an appeal within 6 months of the suspension date, with a decision often taking up to two weeks. Details and steps are in Etsy’s appeal instructions for removed listings.