# Raw Alpaca fiber



## Cannon_Farms (Aug 28, 2008)

I wont even pretend to know anything about this but I have several friends who raise alpacas for a show hobby and really dont do anything with the fiber. It has not been graded but these are fine show animals with several wins.

Have no idea if its something someone here would be interested in or not.


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## InHisName (Jan 26, 2006)

I am looking into getting some alpaca fiber- Here is an ebay link with excellent feedback on their fiber 
http://cgi.ebay.com/Alpaca-Huacayas...242?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1e63c85512
I need more fiber like a whole in the head- but would like to try a bit anyway. 
How much would they want for a whole fleece? What colors do they have?


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

I am waiting for a local lady to call me back about her alpaca and llama fleeces. We were going to trade fleeces. I'd like to blend it with my Finn fleeces and see what happens. Can you give us a price on it? And as asked - color choices?


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## Cannon_Farms (Aug 28, 2008)

I can say these animals are kept very clean. He had mostly lighter color alpacas being from a light beige to a smokey gray color, have no idea on the technical terms. Since there are a couple interested folks I am tracking down prices, I know its been in trash bags in the garage for a while so hopefully they wont think to highly of it, I really dont believe they will.


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## Cannon_Farms (Aug 28, 2008)

white, fawn brown, beige gray and black. still getting the cost


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## Cannon_Farms (Aug 28, 2008)

$2-5 an ounce depending on color.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

whoa ... $2-$5 an ounce for raw alpaca that has been stored in trash bags for a while??

He must be real proud of his fiber.

I'd give $2-$5 an ounce for cleaned alpaca made into roving that has not been stored in plastic, but no way would I even consider that price for raw alpaca fiber.


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

Sounds like those alpaca owners were caught by the original "alpaca lifestyle" thing.

Great article about it here.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Great site, Frazzle.

Cannon, you might want to pass this article along to your alpaca friends.


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

I have been given some raw alpaca fibre (I do the 'spin in public' thing for the local alpaca show, and so they give me fleece to spin while I'm there).

Raw alpaca is a LOT of work to get clean - you can soak it and soak it and soak it and it will still have dirt and dust stuck in it, and then you need to comb it or card it (by hand unless you have a very fine drum carder (my Strauch doesn't really do it) ... 

I admit I prefer spinning wool - but most alpaca, unless it is ABSOLUTELY free of VM, is a real hassle and I would pay maybe $10 for a whole fleece, assuming I adored it. If it was beautifully clean, I might pay $20 - and that's for basically a garbage bag 2/3 full of fleece. Otherwise - I'll pass. 

Prepped and ready to spin - that's a different story, of course.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Yep, what they all said.


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## InHisName (Jan 26, 2006)

What a great article! Thanks for posting- for those of us too far from any fiber festival, and have to rely on internet purchasing- thanks for the education.


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

I have beautiful incredible premium alpaca that I got for free. He is charging too much. My friend who breeds premium alpacas doesn't wash her fleece. She cards it twice, then spins it. She doesn't wash until after knitting.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Hey Cannon,
Just so you know, we're not coming down on you. We really do appreciate you mentioning this to us.

All we're doing is suggesting that the alpaca owners needs some education about the worth of the fiber.


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## springvalley (Jun 23, 2009)

Trust me guys, most alpaca breeders know very well what their fiber is worth. Once again some of the alpaca breeders have no clue what kind of fiber they have and what is is worth, but those of us that have raised them for some time have a steady market and can find a regular market for it. We are also like some of you, we have more fiber than we could ever use. If you can buy whole fleeces that is your best option, if you have your fiber processed by a mill you will more than likely have more tied up in the cost than you will get out of the fiber, do it your self and save a bunch of money. Alot of alpaca breeders send their fiber to the fiber co-op, they in turn ship it to (silly them) South America to have something made out of it. Did you guys know that 100% alpaca coming out of South America can have up to 20% sheep wool added to it. Not what you would call pure alpaca is it. Anyway Thanks > Marc


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Marc, Your opportune word is *most*. I know you and Catherine do, but it doesn't sound like this breeder does ... at least in the terms of selling to fiber artists.

If they did, the shorn fleece wouldn't be just thrown into plastic bags ungraded. I certainly would not want #3 thrown in with #1 prime fleece and be expected to pay $5 an oz.

IMO, an alpaca breeder raising show animals, knows how much $$ they have in their animals, but this doesn't always equate to a price of what consumers are willing to pay for their product. The 'worth' of the fiber is what the consumer market will hold.


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