What can and cannot be sold on Sokofa
Published 3 November 2026. Takes effect 3 December 2026.
If a product is not legal and safe to sell into a UK home, it does not go on Sokofa, however beautiful or authentic it is.
This policy applies to every seller, listing and variation, wherever you ship from. It sits alongside the Seller Agreement. Where they differ, this policy decides what can be listed. The UK is the baseline because Sokofa prices in pounds and most buyers are in the UK. A product must also be legal to export from your country and to import wherever the buyer is.
| Tier | What it means | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Allowed | List it. Standard review applies. | Clothing, original art and prints, baskets, unfilled cushion covers, jewellery under hallmark weight |
| Restricted | Listed only after you upload the documents named below and a person at Sokofa approves them. | Cosmetics and skincare, wigs, candles, filled furniture, toys, items made from regulated natural materials |
| Prohibited | Never listed. Removed on sight. | Counterfeits, weapons and blades, skin lightening products, herbal medicines, ivory, mains powered items shipped from outside the UK, food |
These are never allowed. A listing that contains one is removed without a warning period.
These can be sold, but only once you upload the documents below and a person at Sokofa has checked them. The listing stays in review until then.
| Product | What you must provide | UK rule behind it |
|---|---|---|
| Cosmetics and skincare (shea butter, black soap, oils, hair products, fragrance) | Safety report (CPSR), your own UK Responsible Person, proof of notification on the UK cosmetics portal (SCPN), full ingredient list, batch number and expiry | UK Cosmetics Regulation |
| Battery powered items | Battery type and capacity, fitted inside the item, and confirmation the courier accepts it | Courier dangerous goods rules |
| Toys and items for children under 14 | UKCA or CE marking, age warnings, and test reports for small parts and paint | Toys (Safety) Regulations 2011 |
| Upholstered furniture, filled cushions, poufs, bean bags | Permanent fire safety label and proof the filling and fabric pass UK fire tests | Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 |
| Children's clothing with cords, and nightwear | Confirmation of no drawstrings at hood or neck, and a flammability label for nightwear | BS EN 14682, Nightwear (Safety) Regulations 1985 |
| Gold, silver or platinum jewellery above hallmark weight | A UK hallmark, or the listing must not call it gold or silver | Hallmarking Act 1973 |
| Candles and reed diffusers | Safety warning label and fragrance allergen information | General Product Safety Regulations 2005 |
| Wigs and hair pieces | The details in the wigs and hair rules below | Consumer Rights Act 2015, DMCC Act 2024 |
| Regulated wood, leather, skins, shells and feathers | A CITES export permit where the species is listed, and the species named on the listing | Control of Trade in Endangered Species Regulations |
Original artworks and prints are allowed and wanted. Every art listing must state:
You must own the copyright. Sellers in Nigeria must hold export permission from the National Commission for Museums and Monuments for originals. Contemporary art from Kenya, Ghana and elsewhere needs no special permit, but antiques and heritage objects are prohibited everywhere.
Shea butter, black soap, body oils, hair oils and fragrance are cosmetics in UK law the moment they are sold for skin or hair. Before the first sale you need:
No product may claim to treat eczema, hair loss, acne or any other condition. That makes it a medicine. Alcohol based perfume cannot travel by air, so it cannot be listed for DHL delivery.
A buyer must get exactly what the listing shows. Every listing needs:
Not allowed:
Section 7 of the Seller Agreement applies in full. You confirm you made the product or have the right to sell it, and that nothing in the listing breaks anyone else's rights.
You are responsible for anything seized at customs. Sokofa does not refund sellers for goods held because the paperwork was wrong.
| Breach | What happens |
|---|---|
| Missing information or wrong category | Listing sent back to fix, no strike |
| Restricted item listed without documents | Listing removed, one strike |
| Prohibited item, or a second strike | Listing removed, account paused for 14 days |
| Counterfeit, unsafe product sold, or a third strike | Account closed, unpaid earnings held to cover refunds and claims |
Not sure whether something can be listed? Ask us at sellers@sokofa.com before you list it. To report a listing, email the same address with the link.
