84 Alpacas Fiber Mill, LLC
1926 Route 136
Eighty Four, PA 15330
Questions?
Fiber Preparation
Whether you're shipping, utilizing a pick up site, or bringing your fiber to the mill, the checklist below will help to insure that your order is completed in the most efficient way possible and returned to you as the high-quality finished product best able to showcase your fiber harvest.
- Don't wash your fiber
Our thorough washing at the mill ensures a smooth run and best possible results. Washing the fiber twice will only subject it to unnecessary stress. However you can...
- Clear large debris
While our processing removes the majority of debris, the cleaner the fiber at the start, the better the outcome. Skirt large areas of guard hair, and make certain your fiber is dry before tieing the bag.
- Clearly Label
Make certain every bag sent has our down-loadable order form included in each. Be as descriptive as possible with special requests, and make certain your farm name is on each sheet. While we appreciate recycling, make sure a reused bag doesn't have another alpaca's name on it. Also, it never hurts to toss a business card in each as well.
- Combine Bags
If you're combining like-colors, or want two animals run together, place the individual fleeces in seperate bags with each labeled for the special request, then together in an additional bag.
- Delivery Confirmation
If shipping, request delivery confirmation. You'll want to make certain that a lost parcel can be tracked down if it doesn't make it to us. We do the same for outgoing shipments; it adds only pennies to the cost while providing peace of mind.
-Peace of Mind
Don't hesitate to contact us. We enjoy discussing orders and answering any questions you may have. We want you to feel confidant that your order will return to you exactly as you
wanted and will work to earn your repeat business for future orders.
- Choose the right fleeces to send
In order to receive the best possible product, we ask that you to keep a few things in mind when selecting the fleeces you send. For example, if the judge gasped with delight when they opened your alpacas fleece in the show ring, and waxed poetic regarding it's fineness, it may not end up making the best product. Low micron does not necessarily make for good yarn. If any animal's fiber is tender, it will not withstand processing without breakage. The uneven lengths of fiber will lead to pilling, slubs, and a generally inconsistent yarn with lots more ends sticking out than a stronger fiber. Test this by taking a small amount of fiber, about the size of a pencil, and pull. If the fiber breaks easily, it won't make a good yarn. The stronger the fiber, the better the results. More important than low micron is uniformity in the fleece (low standard deviation or SD). Grade 2 or 3 fiber with a low SD and fine hand will make a far superior product than a brittle or weak ultra-fine fleece.
