"The further you take the fleece along the value chain, the more money you make"
Last Updated: 05/20/2023
2023 Alpaca Fiber Purchase Program
Requirements and Payout
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| NEAFP's buying fiber that meets the following requirements: - U.S. Grown Huacaya Blanket Fiber Only
- Fiber Diameter of 28μ micron and under
- Staple Length: 3" to 6"
- Overall Uniformity (Minimal Coarse Guard Hair & Short Cuts)
- Free of Contamination (Vegetable Matter, Mold, Mildew, Moths etc.)
The total per lb will be based on overall quality determined by NEAFP sorters. Acceptance and overall quality will be decided on these main criteria: Average Fiber Diameter, % of Strong Primary Fibers (Guard Hair), Staple Length, and overall uniformity. | Farms submitting fiber meeting our requirements will receive between $3 and $5.50 per pound. - Fiber that Qualifies @ $5.50 per LB:
- 21 micron and under
- 4" or greater Staple Length
- Uniform in Staple and Fineness - Low % Guard Hair
- Fiber that Qualifies @ $4 per LB:
- 25 micron and under
- 3" or greater staple
- Uniform in Staple and Fineness - Low % of Guard Hair
- Fiber that Qualifies @ $3 per LB:
- 28 micron and under
- 3" or greater staple
- Mostly uniform in Staple and Fineness - Minimal % of Guard Hair
|
Based on NAAFP Fiber Grades Chart: (North American Pricing)
| | Grade | Micron | Name | Price |
| | Grade 1 | < 20 | Ultra Fine | 5.68 |
| | Grade 2 | 20-22.9 | Super Fine | 5.05 |
| | Grade 3 | 23-25.9 | Fine | 4.44 |
| | Grade 4 | 26-28.9 | Medium | 3.86 |
| | Grade 5 | 29-32 | Intermediate | 2.73 |
| | Grade 6 | 32.1-35 | Robust | 1.95 |
| | | | | |
*Raw, Non-Washed, Tumbled and Skirted Fleece
** Price Per Ounce of Fiber
*** Staple Length of 3.75-6.0"
****Manufacturing Process: Worsted Method
BASED ON UK ALPACA (United Kingdom Pricing) * Pricing based on 8/5/2022 Exchange Rate
| Huacaya Classing Grade | Skirted £/Kg | Un-skirted £/Kg | Skirted $/kg | Un-Skirted $/kg |
| Baby White | 15.00 | 10.00 | 18.07 | 12.05 |
| Baby Fawn | 10.00 | 6.00 | 12.05 | 7.23 |
| Baby Other Colours | 5.00 | 4.00 | 6.02 | 4.82 |
| Superfine White | 9.00 | 4.00 | 10.84 | 4.82 |
| Superfine Fawn | 7.00 | 4.00 | 8.43 | 4.82 |
| Superfine Other Colours | 3.00 | 2.00 | 3.61 | 2.41 |
| Outsorts White (Bulked) | * | 1.85 | * | 2.23 |
| Outsorts Coloured (Bulked) | * | 0.50 | * | .60 |
1lb =.4535 kgs / 1kg = 2.20 lbs
* Please visit their website for conditions of sale. https://www.ukalpaca.com
OLDER POSTS FROM 2018:
Current (2018) Market Prices for Alpaca Fiber
| Raw Fleece | $0-$10 per pound |
| Skirted & Sorted | $1-$28 per pound |
| Roving & Batts | $50-$75 per pound |
| Yarn | $100-$150 per pound |
- The more invested, the higher the value.
- The higher the value, the higher the total return for a given amount of raw material.
(Data by Karl Heinrich, New Era Fiber Mill, 2017.)
Current (2018) Market Prices for Farm Processed Alpaca Fiber
| Raw Fiber | $2 per oz |
| Washed and dried fleece | $4 per oz |
| Carded fleece | $6 per oz |
| Carded with embellishments | $8 per oz |
- Carded batt at $8 per oz is best value for grower processing on-farm.
(Data provided by Roo Kline, Moonwood Farm Fiber Studio, 2017.)
Source(s):
1. https://www.aarp.org/personal-growth/transitions/info-04-2010/reality_check_alpaca_ranching.html
2. https://www.quarrycrittersalpacas.com/wholesale-alpaca-fibers-for-sale/
3. https://alpacasofmontana.com/products/alpaca-fiber-raw-fleece-wool
4. https://mci.textileexchange.org/
5. https://greatlakesalpaca.com/resource
6. https://www.tellerreport.com/news/2019-07-13---alpaca-wool--spearhead-of-the-peruvian-textile-industry-.HkX8SMPZB.html-center/fiber-market/
7. https://www.applemountainalpacas.com/mentoring/alpaca-fiber-farming/2-current-potential-value-alpaca-fiber/
8. https://fibershed.org/2022/03/25/alpaca-stories-part-1-alpaca-more-prized-than-gold-by-the-incas-still-scorned-by-the-west/
9. https://www.ukalpaca.com
10. https://www.neafp.com/index.php?dispatch=pages.view&page_id=27