| Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption |
| Cathryn |
Alpaca fleeceA friend of mine has two fleeces she would like to sell. They are a rich, red brown colour.Could you tell me what a fair price would be and could you get in touch if you are interested in buying them. (I think I can use the ds pass the parcel service to get them quite far around the country if necessary.) |
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| woodsprite |
Someone who actually knows what they're talking about will be along soon but I think it will have a lot to do with quality of the fleece which is directly related to the age of the beastie. | ||||||
| Cathryn |
Apparently they are a good quality and this is the first fleece that they have had from them. | ||||||
| sally_in_wales |
What Woodsprite said- age, weight and fleece quality will make a big difference, as an indication, I've seen them from £10-£40 each, where 40 is for a pedigree animal with a fleece graded as 'super high quality'. I would imagine most will be somewhere in between. | ||||||
| Gawber |
Just been reading about alpacas and fleeces;
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/tyne/8076523.stm |
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| wellington womble |
I am not looking at this, but the one I have half carded on the dining room table was about £30. I do not need anymore fleece of any sort. Lalalalalalalala. | ||||||
| toggle |
lol. i understand you completely, although i don't ahve a complete alpaca fleece and don't need one atm |
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| Faithmead |
Weyhey - maybe I could Peg Loom it 
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| toggle |
if it wasn't being sold as a good quality fleece, i'd consider doing that myself.
I have got probably 4 sheep fleeces to pegloom coming after sheering to deal with before i take on anyhting else |
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| wellington womble |
everyone needs alpaca fleece. It doesn't have any of that narsty sticky lanolin in, smells nice, is softer than clouds and spins like a dream. |
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| Gervase |
...Yes, but you have to buy a sodding £2000 useless lump of camelid flesh to provide you with the fleece in the first place. And at 40 quid a fleece, you've got to hope the little darlings live a good long time to pay back the outlay. Are there many 50-year-old alpacas around?
But ignore me - I've just got an irrational prejudice against the alpaca MLM set-up.
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| toggle |
they live about 20 years and the fleece of an older animal isn't going to be worth that much. of course it's all about selling the offspring, to some other gullible f*cker. shrug, as MLM schemes go, it's got to be be more useful than some. at least, ti's useful to me. i like cheap alpaca fleece to play with more than i like amway cleaning products |
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| toggle |
once you get some of the grit out of it. |
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| thewoollyshepherd |
I can give some advice here.........the advice I would first give is BEWARE!
Every alpaca owner at first thinks the fleece is worth a fortune....but it really is not 
The first fleece from a very well bred animal of known fleece graded parents is the best....and I am talking about fleeces where the micron count has been done! Then you have to take away the poorer bits just as with sheep....leaving the better bits......saddle and sides are the best bits.... the different 'bits' are worth different amounts. There are some very poor quality alpacas walking about in Britain because they are all sold for a lot of money and none are culled or eaten as they are in Peru because the fleece is not up to quality 
However the general assumption that it must be valuable because after all its alpaca is widespread! I have some wonderful alpaca in lots of colours if anyone wants any to spin or felt.....and its not £30 a fleece! |
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| toggle |
link please |
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| toggle |
I sort of got that idea at the disparaging way one of the spinning guild reacted to mails about fleeces for sale and i'll aggree with you about the variable quality of fleces. I've bought some alpacca that felt like i was spinning barber shop floor sweepings. Coarse and itchy. It was beautifully dyed though. Then again, I've also worked with some baby alpacca that was so soft and will some day make me an incredible laceweight scarf. |
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| thewoollyshepherd |
Toggle......I don't advertise them as such but ask me for a colour or type and I probably have one!! Just pm me
I process wool and alpaca etc so always have tons of fleece of all types available 
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| toggle |
i'll give you a shout when i work out what i'm after
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