I have been asked several times to explain the madness behind our pricing (I guess we are pretty low compared to other mills). So I thought I would lay out the figures for you. To be in business everyone must make money.
We created a business model that operates on average margins (profit at sale above processing cost)
Diversity of products and pricing helps to keep you in business and should help level out your peaks and valleys during the sales process
The round about figures:
Roving: 5$/LB to process (incoming weight)
Loss rate lets say gets you 13 oz of the 16 your started with.
You charge $2/oz or $26 at point of sale, so $2 x 13oz - $5 = $21
profit margin is $21.00
Yarn: $27/LB to process (outgoing weight)
Loss rate is N/A due to cost at outgoing weight
Sport weight is ~ 4.0 oz per 250 yard skein
DK weight is ~ 4.4 oz per 250 yard skein
Worsted is ~ 4.8 oz per 250 yard skein
You charge $16/skein regardless of weight
Sport weight = 4 skeins x $16 each =$64 - $27 processing = $37/pound profit
DK/worsted = 3 skeins x $16 each = $48 + partial skein @$10 =
$58 -$27 = $31/pound
Please remember you can adjust the length of the skein for larger weights (worsted) in order to maximize your profits. Since you are paying for spinning by the pound you need to determine how to charge by the pound or accept an average profit across all yarn weights you sell by keeping the skeins at 250 yards. You might want to think about skein winding worsted weight at 175 or 185 yards to return the weight of the skein to about 4 ounces and thereby maximizing profit.
Blending .... Stretching your profits
Seconds that need Merino @ $11/pound
Sport weight, 16 oz alpaca + 4 oz of merino = 20 oz (20% blend - 4oz/20oz)
processing = $33.75 for 1.25 pounds + $11 x .25LB = 2.75
You get 5 skeins at $16 each or $80 - $36.5 = $43.5
So if you have decent seconds you can still make a lot of money processing them with Merino wool (20 micron count, raised in America, processed in America). Don't be afraid of blending but be truthful in advertising that you have done so. We have added up to 50% merino to some seconds to extend product and profits. Finally, Beware of loss rates.......Small runs lead to large loss rate. If you can blend and process 10 to 20 pounds at a time you will see a fraction of the loss than if you process 1.5 to 3 pounds.
The End Result: 2.5 pound blanket - sport weight $92.50
2.5 pound 2nds with 20% merino - sport weight $127.62
Total: $220.12
Results will depend on loss rate incurred!!
You can also run seconds as "rope" yarn with a cotton or hemp core. We don't have this attachment on our carder but there are plenty of mills that can do this for you.
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What is heathering?? There are a couple of different types to consider. The candy cane type is done when you ply and is completed when you ply different colors together creating a candy cane look. Please consider that different staple lengths and different micron counts will spin differently and could "plump" differently during steaming. The other method is done at the pin drafter when we pindraft different slivers together. This creates a "marbled" look and the same sliver can look remarkedly different depending on the weight it is spun at. Talk to Jana for more details.
Wait times are an estimate!! We try very hard to accurately portray our processing times. Wait time is about 3 months (22 Dec). Call us should you need to know where you are in the queue. (757)-784-2250
Consistent Yarn Starts with Great Fiber!
We need the very best of the fiber to make yarn. Second cuts and a short staple length make for a poor yarn. Adding Merino Wool (<20 Micron) can "help" the fiber, but staple length must be pretty close.
For Alpaca: Cria and very fine fiber usually does not produce the best yarn. This fiber can result in yarn with little "balls" of fiber from the picking and or carding process. We can not remove these little "balls" via pindrafting and the result is a non uniform yarn. We will at times forgo the picking process and open the fiber manually at the carder to help try and prevent this imperfection, but it is a judgment call that is made early on in the process.
A deviation of 2 inches between the shortest staple to the longest staple usually results in the short staple getting pulled through at a faster rate with no control and this causes "slubbing" (a soft thick nub in yarn). We try and cut these out after the skeining.
We can spin fiber that is between 3 inches and 11 inches. Fiber shorter than 3" causes slubbing and a "thick and thin" type yarn.
Fiber with very different micron count will not "set" the same. In other words it may spin fine and look good, but once it is steamed it may "relax" differently.
Great yarn starts with consistent fiber of average micron count 20-24. Percent waste is a direct result of the quality of fiber being processed and the size of the run. We want to produce the best quality yarn and make you the customer happy, but we will run what the customer wants. Sometimes we cringe at the end result. You the customer must be knowledgeable and proactive in what is sent to the mill. I hope this helps a little...........Eric
For Alpaca: Cria and very fine fiber usually does not produce the best yarn. This fiber can result in yarn with little "balls" of fiber from the picking and or carding process. We can not remove these little "balls" via pindrafting and the result is a non uniform yarn. We will at times forgo the picking process and open the fiber manually at the carder to help try and prevent this imperfection, but it is a judgment call that is made early on in the process.
A deviation of 2 inches between the shortest staple to the longest staple usually results in the short staple getting pulled through at a faster rate with no control and this causes "slubbing" (a soft thick nub in yarn). We try and cut these out after the skeining.
We can spin fiber that is between 3 inches and 11 inches. Fiber shorter than 3" causes slubbing and a "thick and thin" type yarn.
Fiber with very different micron count will not "set" the same. In other words it may spin fine and look good, but once it is steamed it may "relax" differently.
Great yarn starts with consistent fiber of average micron count 20-24. Percent waste is a direct result of the quality of fiber being processed and the size of the run. We want to produce the best quality yarn and make you the customer happy, but we will run what the customer wants. Sometimes we cringe at the end result. You the customer must be knowledgeable and proactive in what is sent to the mill. I hope this helps a little...........Eric
Fiber Processing
Jana and I want to make the processing of your fiber simpler. The process requires all fiber to be skirted, washed, picked, carded, drafted, spun, plied, skeinned or coned. Wool is almost twice as fast to draft and spin than Alpaca or other "exotic" fibers and therefore will be cheaper to process.
- The price to process wool is $22.00/pound, finished weight.
- The price to process Alpaca or other exotic fibers is $27.00/pound (Lace weight is $30.00/lb) Finished Weight.
- Roving of any fiber is $5.00/pound (Direct from the carding machine) incoming weight.
- Slivers are $7.00/pound (Once through the pin drafter). This would come to you in thin small slivers for hand spinners to work with. Very consistent product (Incoming weight).
- Batting is normally 1lb runs and are 2'x4' in size. Batts will be charged by Incoming weight and are $7.00/pound.
We do not knot-tie breaks but rather utilize an air spicer for cleaner joints.
It is not our job to clean your fiber!!!. We spend about 5 Min/ fleece skirting it. If it has too much debris in it we will contact you so you can decide to process with a skirting fee or have the fleece returned at your expense. We are determined to provide a consistent quality product back to our clients and that comes with a standardized process and great consistent fiber. Coning or Skeining does not matter to us. Just let us know how you want it. Production of less than a pound is charged a pound. Combining like fleeces if possible will keep our prices low and dramatically reduces your waste.
See Shipping Instruction Tab for an order form and send your fiber out today!
- The price to process wool is $22.00/pound, finished weight.
- The price to process Alpaca or other exotic fibers is $27.00/pound (Lace weight is $30.00/lb) Finished Weight.
- Roving of any fiber is $5.00/pound (Direct from the carding machine) incoming weight.
- Slivers are $7.00/pound (Once through the pin drafter). This would come to you in thin small slivers for hand spinners to work with. Very consistent product (Incoming weight).
- Batting is normally 1lb runs and are 2'x4' in size. Batts will be charged by Incoming weight and are $7.00/pound.
We do not knot-tie breaks but rather utilize an air spicer for cleaner joints.
It is not our job to clean your fiber!!!. We spend about 5 Min/ fleece skirting it. If it has too much debris in it we will contact you so you can decide to process with a skirting fee or have the fleece returned at your expense. We are determined to provide a consistent quality product back to our clients and that comes with a standardized process and great consistent fiber. Coning or Skeining does not matter to us. Just let us know how you want it. Production of less than a pound is charged a pound. Combining like fleeces if possible will keep our prices low and dramatically reduces your waste.
See Shipping Instruction Tab for an order form and send your fiber out today!