We receive raw and dressed fur from customers across Canada and from outside the country. Shipping fur across a border is straightforward when the paperwork is in order, and can go badly wrong when it is not, so please read this page before you send anything.
Permits come first
No raw fur is accepted without the proper permits in place. Raw pelts, skins and hides must travel with an export permit from your jurisdiction; where one is not issued we can apply for a Manitoba import permit on your behalf, and a copy of it must accompany the shipment. Certain dressed articles (polar bear, cougar, pronghorn antelope and wood bison) also need import and export permits, and cervid capes and hides are subject to Manitoba’s Chronic Wasting Disease rules. The full details, and what happens to shipments that arrive without documentation, are on our Notice Regarding Exporting Raw/Dressed Fur page.
Some species, for example otter, lynx, bobcat, wolf and bear, are listed under CITES and need CITES export and import permits to cross an international border in either direction. Check with your country’s wildlife authority before you ship, and allow time for the permits to be issued.
Customs paperwork
Include a commercial invoice inside and outside the box that lists the species, the number of skins, their value and a note that the goods are being sent for tanning and processing. Your customs broker or courier can advise on any additional forms required for your country. Keep copies of everything, including your permits, with the shipment.
Packing and labelling
- Raw skins should be fleshed, salted and dried as described on our Prepping page. Never ship wet or frozen raw skins internationally.
- Pack in a sturdy cardboard box, and put your name, return address, phone number and email inside the box as well as on the outside.
- Each shipment is stamped with a work order number when it arrives, which is how your finished fur is matched back to you.
Payment and return shipping
Payment must be received before finished goods are shipped, and freight charges and insurance in both directions are the responsibility of the customer, as set out in our Terms and Conditions. Finished fur is packed in high-grade cardboard boxes with tamper-proof tape and steel straps. Tell us which carrier and service you would like used for the return, and whether you need the shipment insured.
Ship to
International Fur Dressers & Dyers Ltd.
385 Dawson Road North
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Canada R2J 0S8
If you are unsure about any part of the process, call (204) 231-5595 or email info@internationalfur.ca before you ship. A few minutes on the phone beforehand can save a shipment being held or turned back at the border.