Hi d2, Now this explanation applies to purchase of most fibers, not just alpaca.
It is my understanding that the buyer purchases the actual weight. If in doubt ask to get the exact amount weighed. If they don't do this find another alpaca source. Now this is the actual weight you receive. If you have taken out vm then lost some fiber this way, it is a different story. Selling by the "bump" is a clue that it is not a weighted amount. The one who usually absorbs the cost of the fiber loss is not the processor and not the buyer but the producer, which puts a heavy incentive on them to have clean feeces go to the processor in the first place. Now your seller may not be the producer, and may have purchased it that way from the producer and got a deal -- but sold it without the extra saving and passed the loss on to the purchaser. The fiber related cottage industries are just now coming into their own "niche" but the public needs educating. The local grown are being lumped in with the global producers complicating the whole situation. And local sellers are purchasing from these global sources at very reduced rates. So these sellers need educating as well. The amount of fiber loss from vm & processing can be quite a bit -- up to 1/3 to 1/2 of the original fleece. Only the so called "blanket" on the alpaca is usually sold as the best, but also costs more -- sometimes a lot more! Try and buy from a local producer who "adds value" with the processing (skirting , washing, carding) . At the very least only buy raw if it has been skirted. If you buy the whole fleece, sometimes it has been skirted and sometimes not. Skirting means that the bottom of the fleece that contains the most dirt and vm is removed. Producers often will send out their fleece for processing, and there is loss from the machines as well. But producers need educating too - especially about vm! Unfortunately it is the buyer who ends up the loser when they don't ask questions. One of the best ways to find the good fiber and see what it is like and be able to have some comparative sources is to attend fiber fairs. Here the venders will have their wares available to see and feel, check out vm and ask questions. But the best ones sell out early so you need to go even earlier. And get their cards so you can purchase over the phone or internet. Otherwise a first buyer needs to get a recommendation from someone who has actually purchased from the producer or go the first time in person. If buying over the internet ask pertinent questions. Most of us learn the hard way.... Sometimes the producers actually get fooled too because they think they have done a good job skirting and the way the machines work when the fiber comes back the edges don't have the vm -- it all falls inside somehow. I would call the seller back and ask questions. Then give the feedback. You can expect some vm, and if you get a deal -- expect a lot of vm! Also compare prices and how different alpaca producers sell their fiber. There is even a huge range of quality diffference in the fleece itself. Good producers not only deal with the vm troubles but breed the animals to get the best fiber. We are in a whole new industry. And "Value added" doesn't have a consistent meaning. The other unfortunate aspect of the fiber industry in general, is that the wealth of info from the past was lost not entirely -- but almost! The recovery has been fast as the industry grows, and the alpaca people have a huge investment in their animals but most are just starting to understand the fiber treasures and become educated themselves about the fiber. Bottom line is ask questions. Hope this helps. Regards, Dianne [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
