If you’ve been following the hardwood lumber industry, you’ve probably heard that Ipe and Cumaru were added to CITES Appendix II in 2025. But if you’re not a trade lawyer or a supply chain specialist, you may not be sure what that actually means for your next deck project. Here’s a plain-language explanation. For a broader look at what this means for your material choices, see Ipe Is Now on the Endangered Species List — What Should You Use Instead?
What is CITES?
CITES stands for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. It’s an international treaty — currently signed by 183 countries — that regulates the global trade of species threatened by exploitation. It operates through a tiered listing system:
- Appendix I: Commercial trade is banned entirely (e.g., tigers, most great apes)
- Appendix II: Trade is permitted but requires documentation and permits from exporting countries
- Appendix III: Species protected in at least one country, with tracking requested internationally
Both Ipe (Handroanthus spp.) and Cumaru were listed on Appendix II in 2025 — not a ban, but a significant new layer of regulation.
What Does Appendix II Mean in Practice?
For any international shipment of Ipe or Cumaru, the exporting country (primarily Brazil) must now issue an export permit confirming that the harvest was legal and non-detrimental to the species. Importing countries must verify these permits.
In practice, this means:
- Longer lead times as permitting infrastructure catches up with demand
- Higher costs as compliance overhead and shrinking compliant supply drive prices up
- Greater legal and reputational exposure for commercial buyers who cannot document proper provenance
- Increased difficulty specifying Ipe for projects subject to green building standards, institutional procurement, or ESG reporting requirements
Does This Affect Existing Ipe Decks?
No. The listing applies to new international trade, not materials already in circulation. If you have an existing Ipe deck, you’re not affected.
What About “Certified” Ipe?
FSC-certified Ipe has long been marketed as the responsible choice, but the certification has faced persistent credibility concerns in Brazilian supply chains. The CITES listing adds another compliance layer on top of certification — and doesn’t resolve the underlying questions about verification in remote forest regions.
What Should Architects and Contractors Do?
Now is the right time to develop and specify sustainably sourced alternatives. For most applications where Ipe was previously specified — decking, boardwalks, siding, structural outdoor applications — Black Locust is the mostis direct substitution. It carries comparable natural durability ratings (USDA “very resistant” class), is sustainably sourced with a transparent chain of custody, is available FSC-certified, and performs in every climate.
Black Locust is a fast-growing pioneer species that reaches harvestable size in just 20–30 years — compared to the 200–300 years Ipe requires. It requires no chemical treatment, actively improves soil quality through nitrogen fixation, and can be harvested repeatedly from the same land. The contrast with slow-growing, old-growth tropical hardwoods couldn’t be sharper.
Robi Decking’s technical team works regularly with architects on specifications and can provide full technical data sheets, BIM files, and LEED documentation support. For a side-by-side look at the alternatives, see Best Ipe Alternatives: Black Locust, Cumaru, Garapa — Compared.
