Posting wooden yoyos to the US

So I heard recently from a couple of friends that it may be a problem sending wooden yoyos overseas. I’ve read some conflicting information about it and am unsure if it is OK. I never thought much about it considering they’re only very small wooden items made from wood that had to be suitable to be imported to Australia in the first place.

Just wondering if anyone knows offhand, in particular if a wooden yoyo is a prohibited item or needs a permit to be sent to the US. I know you guys probably aren’t necessarily customs experts, but you may know something helpful about it.

If there is a problem, I won’t be sending any overseas.

USPS info restricted items:

https://www.usps.com/ship/shipping-restrictions.htm

http://about.usps.com/publications/pub141/standard-prohibited-and-restricted-items.htm

As a retailer we ship wooden yo-yos internationally all the time. I haven’t heard of any issues with shipping wooden items yet. On the other hand, I don’t think we have received any wooden yo-yos from international sources.

I know YYF imports the wing legends and multiple kendama companies import kendamas of all different wood varieties. I don’t think it should be an issue.

Well, no. 12 on this list says “Plant or plant material”.

That means I can’t I guess.  :-[

Do you know if any of these companies needes a permit to ship their wooden items to the US?

I suppose you wouldn’t know, I guess. That would be something they’d need to organise at their end.

That doesn’t apply to wood. It’s agricultural items.

If that’s the case, then I can post away!

But are you sure about that?

Every time I mail a package that’s one of the questions they ask - “Does this contain any plants?” Never “does this contain wood.”

Plants can carry diseases and parasites, wood, not so much.

Why don’t you ask your postal people?

I will when I go to the post office today.

They don’t really speak much English though.

So I checked at the post office as to whether it is ok to post wooden items to the US or not.

The lady had her handy-dandy guide to posting overseas and apparently it’s all OK!

Good news for me! :slight_smile:

Items made from wood is usually not a problem. The US post office is more concerned with unmarked, uninspected packages that have plants that are still alive, soil, and or raw lumber.

I’m still not so sure about all this. My post office says it’s fine, other Australian wood working sites say it’s fine but I read on the US Customs site in regard to importing wood:

“A Timber and Timber Products Import Permit (PPQ form 585) must accompany each wood shipment. The permit will list the required treatment.”

That really does sound like no wood products can be posted to the US without a special permit.

I think you’re over thinking this.

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I really hope that you’re right. Perhaps I am.

I just really want to get some of my wooden fixed axles in hands. I’m getting some new tools to help open up new shape possibilities and hopefully greater quality finish and accuracy. If I can’t post these to the US then it would really suck.

I assume they are referring to raw bulk wood. If not shipping a pencil would require a permit. :slight_smile:

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Haha. You’re absolutely right.

That’s putting it very succinctly.

It is really dependent on CITES. If the wood you are using is protected in any way by CITES. Something like Brazilian Rosewood, Madagascar Rosewood, a lot of Ebony, etc. They all require paper work. However, it kind of goes back to the whole “if you don’t get caught” thing. I doubt USPS is opening every package and checking what it is, and neither is customs I’d think.

It’s just that off chance that you are using a protected wood, and customs checks your package and sees that there is no paperwork for it, that is where problems begin…and fines.

Thanks, Aaron. Fortunately I haven’t posted anything listed on CITES. What about the IUCN? Are there fines for any woods listed there?