CITES

The abbreviation CITES stands for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. Relevant to woodworkers and craftsmen are the three CITES lists or "Appendixes" of endangered species whose international trade is regulated or restricted.

Appendix I lists species considered to be under threat of extinction, with strong restrictions on their international trade, even as finished products. Brazilian Rosewood (Dalbergia nigra) is the only wood species listed here, and I don't offer this wood in any of my products.

Appendix II lists "at-risk" species which require protection, in order to not be elevated to Appendix I in future. Several woods I offer are listed here, including all other Rosewoods, along with Bubinga and Cocobolo (which resemble various Rosewoods). Annotations for these woods specifically allow the "non-commercial export of a maximum total weight of 10kg" of finished products like musical instruments and spinning wheels.

Appendix III lists species that are restricted into or out of a specific source country, or worthy of observation.

Boiling down those CITES annotations, anyone traveling internationally with a Pocket Wheel or bobbins which contain one of the Appendix II woods (Bubinga, Bolivian Rosewood, Cocobolo) shouldn't be bothered by customs or border officials. Professional musicians, transporting performance instruments often made of these woods, have tread this ground fairly thoroughly, such that customs officials are fairly educated in what's permitted as personal goods. That said, I'll note there's no guarantee that some petty official somewhere won't cause a problem. For my travels, I'll leave my Cocobolo bobbin at home, just to not take the chance.

Those annotations do not exempt a completed product being shipped internationally to it's purchaser. So, none of those woods are available for international shipment (including Canada) as part of a Pocket Wheel, bobbins, or tools. If you're picking up your wheel in the USA and transporting it to your home country, you should be fine, but again, that's something I can't guarantee.

For a more thorough explanation, I'll refer you to one of my favorite wood references: The Wood Database