The best place to find alpaca fiber for sale is by going online. The internet offers a variety of buying options ranging from private sellers on eBay to farm stores that operate websites and sell wholesale. The advantage for wholesalers is that they can avail of generous discounts.
How much you pay will depend on the size of your purchase. It is available for purchasing in pounds or ounces. Some buyers opt to buy an entire fleece at one time as these often yield over four pounds worth.
Another price consideration is the grade or fineness. The finest grades called Royal, or Grade 1 and Baby, or Grade 2. Finer grades handle and feel very soft and flexible. They are even softer than even The coarser grades are hard and much cheaper. They are mainly used for rug wool and felting yarn.
An amazing 22 colors and hues are available for purchase, whereas wool from sheep only comes in white or off-white. Colors vary from creamy beige to black or light grey. The colors are all the same price but not all colors are easily available. Silver gray and black are the most rare which does drive their price up.
When first putting on a sweater or jacket made from this material, people are amazed that it is not scratchy or uncomfortable. This is because no artificial dyes or chemicals are used in processing. The wide range of available colors makes that unnecessary. The fiber keeps it's natural softness and flexibility as a result. It's protective, hypoallergenic features are also kept which makes it excellent for sensitive skin.
It costs more per pound than wool, granted, but less than 10% is lost after scouring or cleaning. On the other hand, wool loses about 50% after scouring. So this material does have a definite cost value over sheep wool.
It is important to know some of the terminology involved when buying. The term, raw, means that the material has not been cleaned and is straight from the animal. The first step in processing a fleece is called picked. This means it has had an initial cleaning for removing dirt and grass. The next step, open fleecing, involves separating and fluffing the individual strands for carding. The next step involves combing the strands and lining them up, called caring. Finally the material is ready for the last stage called roving.
The textile material is well known for its strength and durability. Clothing made from it has often become family heirlooms or museum pieces. Since the natural color and flexibility are rarely lost, it can last for years. It does not need costly care such as dry-cleaning. It can easily be washed with a mild shampoo and warm water.
With so many online stores, finding Alpaca fiber for sale is easier than ever. The bigger sites, like eBay, stock it for sale by the pound or ounce. Family farm websites have the advantage of offering a wider range of grades and can offer customer assistance as well as good discounts for wholesale buyers.
How much you pay will depend on the size of your purchase. It is available for purchasing in pounds or ounces. Some buyers opt to buy an entire fleece at one time as these often yield over four pounds worth.
Another price consideration is the grade or fineness. The finest grades called Royal, or Grade 1 and Baby, or Grade 2. Finer grades handle and feel very soft and flexible. They are even softer than even The coarser grades are hard and much cheaper. They are mainly used for rug wool and felting yarn.
An amazing 22 colors and hues are available for purchase, whereas wool from sheep only comes in white or off-white. Colors vary from creamy beige to black or light grey. The colors are all the same price but not all colors are easily available. Silver gray and black are the most rare which does drive their price up.
When first putting on a sweater or jacket made from this material, people are amazed that it is not scratchy or uncomfortable. This is because no artificial dyes or chemicals are used in processing. The wide range of available colors makes that unnecessary. The fiber keeps it's natural softness and flexibility as a result. It's protective, hypoallergenic features are also kept which makes it excellent for sensitive skin.
It costs more per pound than wool, granted, but less than 10% is lost after scouring or cleaning. On the other hand, wool loses about 50% after scouring. So this material does have a definite cost value over sheep wool.
It is important to know some of the terminology involved when buying. The term, raw, means that the material has not been cleaned and is straight from the animal. The first step in processing a fleece is called picked. This means it has had an initial cleaning for removing dirt and grass. The next step, open fleecing, involves separating and fluffing the individual strands for carding. The next step involves combing the strands and lining them up, called caring. Finally the material is ready for the last stage called roving.
The textile material is well known for its strength and durability. Clothing made from it has often become family heirlooms or museum pieces. Since the natural color and flexibility are rarely lost, it can last for years. It does not need costly care such as dry-cleaning. It can easily be washed with a mild shampoo and warm water.
With so many online stores, finding Alpaca fiber for sale is easier than ever. The bigger sites, like eBay, stock it for sale by the pound or ounce. Family farm websites have the advantage of offering a wider range of grades and can offer customer assistance as well as good discounts for wholesale buyers.
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