FIBER PROCESSING SERVICES
Fair Winds Llama Ranch utilizes an amazing line of historical equipment for llama and alpaca fiber processing. Although our equipment is a little more "mature" than some of the newer mills, it was designed for durability and function. Please call if you would like a tour of the mill.
Although our mill is no longer accepting new customers, the following information is provided to assist you in preparing your fiber for processing at any mill.
Although our mill is no longer accepting new customers, the following information is provided to assist you in preparing your fiber for processing at any mill.
IT ALL STARTS WITH HEALTHY ANIMALS
The quality of your finished product begins with your animal. Using commercial machinery to process your fiber returns your fiber to you quicker and with a more consistent end product than traditional hand spinning. However, commercial machinery is also a bit harder on the fiber, and weaknesses in the fiber can cause the fiber to break and result in situations where processing cannot occur. As the animal producer, you can maximize the value of your fleeces by ensuring your animals are well fed and cared for and minimizing excessive stress on your animals. Inadequate nutrition will result in weak fiber and excessive breakage during processing.
When your fiber arrives at a mill, it will be evaluated to ensure it is strong enough to be processed. You can check the strength of your fiber by taking the ends of 5-10 strands of fiber in your hands and pulling firmly on the fiber. If you hear cracking in the fiber or if the fiber breaks, there could be a problem with the fiber. Make sure you check more than one part of the fleece...you might have just gotten a bad sample. If the fiber is breaking throughout the fleece, it likely won't survive the carding machine.
When your fiber arrives at a mill, it will be evaluated to ensure it is strong enough to be processed. You can check the strength of your fiber by taking the ends of 5-10 strands of fiber in your hands and pulling firmly on the fiber. If you hear cracking in the fiber or if the fiber breaks, there could be a problem with the fiber. Make sure you check more than one part of the fleece...you might have just gotten a bad sample. If the fiber is breaking throughout the fleece, it likely won't survive the carding machine.
SKIRTING AND SORTING
Skirting and sorting is a process used to remove second cuts, guard hairs, sticks, tags (dung), excessive vegetable matter, and other imperfections that could reduce the quality of the end product from the fleece. This is done prior to washing the fleece. After your fleece is evaluated for strength, it will be weighed and skirted. Our machinery generally cannot process fibers that are shorter than 3 inches or longer than 7 inches.
Washing fees are based on the dirty weight of the fleece. Fleeces that are found to be excessively dirty with either tags or vegetable matter will be returned without processing. The customer will be responsible for return postage. The skirted fleece is then tumbled to allow additional dirt and vegetable matter to be removed prior to being washed. We do not use harsh chemicals to remove dirt or vegetable matter from the fleece, so the more of this debris that can be removed prior to processing, the cleaner the final product. In addition, much of the vegetable matter left in the fleece after washing will be removed during subsequent processing steps. Fleeces will normally undergo 3 washes and 2 rinses. Fleeces that require additional washes will be charged an additional $2 per pound.
You can reduce your processing costs by sorting and skirting your fleeces before sending them to the mill. There is no sense packing up dirt, sticks, animal poo, second cuts, and the coarser areas of the fleece, and paying to send them to the mill. Spending a half hour on each fleece will let you eliminate these items and reduce the weight of the fleece. This cuts your shipping costs and reduces your "dirty weight" that is the basis of your washing fees.
Washing fees are based on the dirty weight of the fleece. Fleeces that are found to be excessively dirty with either tags or vegetable matter will be returned without processing. The customer will be responsible for return postage. The skirted fleece is then tumbled to allow additional dirt and vegetable matter to be removed prior to being washed. We do not use harsh chemicals to remove dirt or vegetable matter from the fleece, so the more of this debris that can be removed prior to processing, the cleaner the final product. In addition, much of the vegetable matter left in the fleece after washing will be removed during subsequent processing steps. Fleeces will normally undergo 3 washes and 2 rinses. Fleeces that require additional washes will be charged an additional $2 per pound.
You can reduce your processing costs by sorting and skirting your fleeces before sending them to the mill. There is no sense packing up dirt, sticks, animal poo, second cuts, and the coarser areas of the fleece, and paying to send them to the mill. Spending a half hour on each fleece will let you eliminate these items and reduce the weight of the fleece. This cuts your shipping costs and reduces your "dirty weight" that is the basis of your washing fees.