Trends and Innovations in the Mammoth Ivory Market

Stay informed about the latest trends, innovations, and ethical practices in the mammoth ivory market, as we explore the future of this ancient yet modern material.

Here are some trends and innovations in the ivory market:

• Price

  The price of ivory has increased tenfold since the 1989 ban on the international trade of ivory by the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). In 2020, illegal ivory prices increased for the first time since 2014. 

   
• Demand

  Demand for ivory in China has been a major factor in the increase in the ivory trade. 

   
• Unregulated markets

  Large-scale, unregulated domestic ivory markets in Africa and Asia are a major driver of the illegal ivory trade. 

   
• Processing

  Ivory is increasingly being processed in Africa before being smuggled to other countries. This makes it harder to detect and intercept. 

   
• Criminal syndicates

  Criminal syndicates from China have set up shop in African countries to deal with the increased focus on the illegal ivory trade. 

   
• Online trade

  The black market for ivory is especially active online. 

   
• Conservation efforts

  The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has run campaigns to raise awareness of the ivory trade and promote the #TravelIvoryFree message. The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) works to disrupt the criminal networks that fuel the illegal ivory trade.

   

   

Ivory is often used as a status symbol in luxury goods like jewelry, chess sets, and piano keys.