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Fiber Mill Analysis

We have researched 12 fiber mills that cater to the unique properties of alpaca, sorted through all the information, and put together an apples-to-apples comparison of process and cost. The information that we gleaned from our research was sent to each mill to confirm accuracy, though not all mills responded.

(pictured left: Spinning machines at Bartlett Yarn Company, established 1821, in the village of Harmony, Maine. Click here to view more photos of this vintage, and still working, fiber mill.)


The following fiber mills were picked at random. Diamond Triple C Ranch, it's owers, staff, and management, are in no way making a recommendation of, or promoting any of the mills chosen for our analysis, and assume no responsibility for any errors in this information. This was a time-intensive endeaver, and our intent is only to share the results with our readers who might value having this information presented in a format that makes for a quick and easy comparison of these mills. Please contact the specific mills prior to sending in your fiber to confirm these figures and terms.

If any other fiber mills would like to have their information posted to this forum, they may submit their information to us at info@diamondtriplecranch.com.

Lonesome Stone Fiber
Georgia Mountain Fiber
Stonehedge Fiber Mill
Autumn Mist Alpaca Fiber Mill

Newaim Fiber Mill
Marathon Fiber Mill
Star Castle Fiber Mill
Frontier Fiber Farm

Morning Star Fiber
Kocher Farms
A+ Alpaca Fiber Mill
Blue Hills Fiber Mill

PLEASE NOTE: In most cases, the price for ROVING includes picking, carding, drafting, and SPINNING would indicate the various processes to make yarn in different varieties. Plies are indicated for each mill. Usually WASHING is required and is an additional cost. Where there are exceptions, we have so indicated. Care should be given prior to shearing to clean the alpaca. Final results intrinsically depend on how clean the fiber is when sent.

Download pdf of mill analysis
  LONESOME STONE FIBER   
minimums:
  $25/fleece under 5 lbs., 3 - 6" staple
roving:
   $12/lb wash, pick, card, $16/lb wash, pick, card, draft
washing:
    
yarn:
   includes wash, pick, card, draft, spin, ply, skein & wash finished yarn
picking:
    
spinning:
   lace $40/lb, sport $34/lb, worsted $32/lb, bulky $30/lb
dehairing:
    
plying:
    
carding:
    
add other:
    
drafting:
    
skeins:
    
address:
  946 County Road 60Granby, CO 80446
terms:
   MC, VISA or Discover; must pay within 30 days
contact:
   Marv & Linda Dewey
970-887-9591 or 970-531-8554
website:
   www.lonesomestonefiber.com
  GEORGIA MOUNTAIN FIBER
minimums:
  4 lb. / bag
roving:
   $12/lb. incoming weight - wash, pick, card
washing:
   $5/lb.
yarn:
   includes draft, spin, ply, steam & cone wind (2-ply)
picking:
   $2/lb.
spinning:
   lace $20/lb, fingering $20/lb, sport $16/lb, bulky $16/lb
dehairing:
   $5/lb.
plying:
   $2/lb, $1/lb per add'l ply
carding:
   $6/lb.
add other:
   silk $4/oz., wool $2.50/oz.
drafting:
   $2/lb.
skeins:
   $1.50/3.5 oz.
address:
  11 Mountain St., Blue Ridge, GA 30513
terms:
   50% down pmt., pd in full/comp, MC/Visa, 30 days
contact:
   Mike & Debbie Lipinski
706-632-6767
website:
   http://www.georgiamountainfiber.com
  STONEHEDGE FIBER MILL
minimums:
  no minimums, 4 - 10" long, semi-worsted
roving:
    
washing:
    
yarn:
    
picking:
    
spinning:
   1-ply $21.50/lb, 2-ply $20.50/lb (worsted or bulky),
2-ply sport or 3-ply worsted $22.50/lb
2-ply fingering, 3-ply sport or 4-ply worsted $24.50/lb
3-ply fingering $26.50/lb
dehairing:
    
plying:
    
carding:
    
add other:
   regular: 15% wool added; exotic: $3/lb added to spinning charges
drafting:
    
skeins:
   $1.50/lb (250 yds.)
address:
  2246 Pesek Road, East Jordan, MI 49727
terms:
    
contact:
   Debbie McDermott
231-536-2779
website:
   http://www.stonehedgefibermill.com
  AUTUMN MIST ALPACA FIBER MILL
minimums:
  2 - 6" long, $25/hr. to skirt
roving:
   $12/lb.
washing:
   $6/lb., a must
yarn:
    
picking:
   $5/lb.
spinning:
   fingering $25/lb cones, lace (2,3,4-ply) $25/lb, sport $22/lb cones, dk $22/lb cones, worsted or bulky $20/lb
dehairing:
   $5/lb.
plying:
    
carding:
   $5/lb.
add other:
  
drafting:
   $5/lb.
skeins:
   $2/lb - 100, 150 or 200 yd. skeins
address:
  11579 Wisse RoadPrattsburgh, NY 14873
terms:
   5% after 30 days, accepts major credit cards; pmt. req prior to shipping
contact:
   Jeff & Leslie Jorritsma
607-738-7538
website:
   http://www.autumnmistalpacas.com
  NEWAIM FIBER MILL
minimums:
  2 - 6" long, no skirting services
roving:
   wash + $6/lb finished weight
washing:
   $5/lb
yarn:
    
picking:
   $3/lb finished weight
spinning:
   2-ply on cones, $16/lb bulky or worsted,
$18/lb dk, sport, fingering, $20/lb lace weight
dehairing:
   $10/lb up to 3 passes
plying:
   $3/lb per add'l ply
carding:
   $3/lb finished weight
add other:
   merino $1.75 or $1.90/oz, tussah silk $1.70/oz,
bamboo $.90/oz, soysilk $2.26/oz. (n/c for blending purchased fiber)
drafting:
   n/c
skeins:
   $3/lb 4 oz. or greater, $4/lb less than 4 oz.
address:
  13 Robinson Road, Waldoboro, ME 04572
terms:
   check or money order only, 30 days, 5% after 30 day
contact:
   Nancy Williams / Al Maloney
207-832-5162
website:
   http://www.newaimfibermill.com
  MARATHON FIBER MILL
minimums:
  skirt $25/hr., $5/lb.
roving:
   $16/lb (incoming weight) includes pick, dehair & card
washing:
   $7/lb., a must
yarn:
    
picking:
  
spinning:
   lace $35/lb, sport $28/lb, worsted $27/lb, bulky $27/lb
dehairing:
  
plying:
    
carding:
  
add other:
   $5 + cost of other fibers
drafting:
  
skeins:
   4 oz. skein, $1/skein
address:
  4000 McMahon RoadMarathon, NY 13803
terms:
   30 day pmt, or they can keep fiber
contact:
   607-849-6628
website:
   http://www.marathonalpacas.com/html/fiber_mill.html
  STAR CASTLE FIBER MILL & FARM
minimums:
  skirt $20 per fleece, 1lb min, 3 - 6 or 7"long
roving:
   $15/lb. huacaya, $18/lb. suri
washing:
   $5.25 huacaya, $6 suri
yarn:
   includes card, pin draft, spin, ply, skein, set twist
picking:
  
spinning:
   all 2-ply - bulky $30/lb H, n/available suri; sport $30/lb H $32/lb S; lace $32/lb H, $34/lb S; fine $34/lb H, $37/lb S
dehairing:
  
plying:
    
carding:
  
add other:
   $5/lb inspection fee in case they cannot process, blending up to $2/lb + you provide fibers
drafting:
  
skeins:
    
address:
  56778 Fat Elk RoadCoquile, OR 97423
terms:
   must receive pmt. within 45 days, 50% deposit
checks, Visa or MC
contact:
   541-396-6416
website:
   http://www.starcastlefarm.com
  FRONTIER FIBER FARM , LLC
minimums:
Update from Frontier Fiber Farm (4.1.10)
roving:
 solid: $18 per end weight lb; multi: $20 per end weight lb.
washing:
 no longer doing contract processing as of April 1, 2010
yarn:
 $37-$45 end weight lb. H, $40-$45 per end weight lb. S
picking:
spinning:
dehairing:
plying:
carding:
add other:
 angora $10/oz, merino wool $2/oz, alpaca $1.50 oz.
drafting:
skeins:
address:
  7135 West 200, North Warsaw, IN 46580
terms:
    
contact:
   574-298-4312
website:
   http://www.frontierfibermill.com
  MORNING STAR FIBER
minimums:
  3" minimum length, skirting + mill-grade sorting $5/lb
roving:
   1 lb. bags or 8 oz. bumps - $14.75/lb.
washing:
   included in yarn prices
yarn:
    
picking:
    
spinning:
   18# double batch/per pound: lopi (thick singles) $21.50, bulky (2- or 3-ply) $26.50, sport (2 or 3-ply) $28, fingering ( 2- or 3-ply) $30.50, lace (2-ply only) $34.50
9# single batch/per pound: lopi $23, bulky $28, sport $29.50, fingering $32, lace $36.
non-batch (3# minimum): lopi $25.25, bulky $30.75, sport $32.50, fingering $35.25, lace $39.50
dehairing:
    
plying:
    
carding:
    
add other:
    
drafting:
    
skeins:
    
address:
  8522 Dover Road, Apple Creek, OH 44606
terms:
    
contact:
   Karen, JC & Ed Christensen
330-778-0078
website:
   http://www.morningstarfiber.com
  KOCHER FARMS, LLC
minimums:
  3 lb. minimum
roving:
   includes wash & pick, H $16/lb, S $20.80/lb
washing:
   H $8/lb, S $11.20/lb
yarn:
   includes wash, pick & roving
picking:
   included with wash
spinning:
   medium to heavy weight finished yarn: H $32/lb,
S $41.60/lb; light weight yarn: H $38.40/lb, S $49.92/lb
dehairing:
  
plying:
    
carding:
  
add other:
   all suri has 10% wool or huacaya added to fiber
drafting:
  
skeins:
    
address:
  1148 Greenwood Rd, SistersvilleWV 26175
terms:
    
contact:
   Charlie & Charlotte Kocheri
304-652-1044
website:
   http://www.allalpacafibermill.com
  A+ ALPACA FIBER MILL
minimums:
  can process 100% alpaca or blends,
$10 add'l for under 5 lbs.
roving:
   $7/lb
washing:
    
yarn:
    
picking:
   $3/lb
spinning:
   $25/lb
dehairing:
    
plying:
    
carding:
    
add other:
    
drafting:
    
skeins:
    
address:
  6781 River Road, Jordan, NY 13080
terms:
   pmt. when order is complete (within 30 days)
contact:
   Chris Gilman
315-689-3550
website:
   http://www.aplusalpaca.com
  BLUE HILLS FIBER MILL
minimums:
  3 lb. minimum
roving:
   $6/lb carding, includes picking to roving batts or clouds
washing:
   $7/lb, 2nd wash $2/lb, skirting $18/hr
yarn:
  
picking:
   $2/lb
spinning:
   exotic/wool blends: bulky $15.75/lb, sport/worsted $16.75/lb, fingering/fine $18.75/lb;
100% exotics: bulky $16.75/lb, sport/worsted $17.75/lb, fingering/fine $19.75/lb
dehairing:
  
plying:
   bulky $1.25/lb, sport/worsted $1.75/lb, fingering/fine $2.75/lb
carding:
   2nd carding for cleaning veg. matter $2.50/lb
add other:
   $2.50/lb
drafting:
  
skeins:
   no skeins, finished oz; designated yardage $1.75 lb., wash/set twist $2/lb
address:
  W1163 Sieck RoadBruce, WI 54819
terms:
    
contact:
   Nancy & Leo Gonkowski
715-868-3074
website:
   http://www.bluehillsalpacasandfibermill.com