The Natural Fibre Company likes to talk to its customers so the work we do gives them precisely what they want. We can't cover all the things we're asked, but as a wool mill these questions are the ones asked most.

How much will it cost to process my fleece?

Somewhere between £28-45 a kilogram including VAT. You only pay for the fibre returned plus a set-up charge and carriage. Some badly matted fibre may be have to go through a machine to break it down and this adds £1.76 a kilo. Balls of 50 grammes with ball bands will add around £9 a kilogram. No extra charges will be added to your order without approval.

Why do I get less fibre back than I sent?

Your order will be hand sorted and any unsuitable fibre rejected, but most of the weight loss with wool, around a quarter of the total and sometimes more, is during scouring when all the oil and dirt is washed out.

Some vegetation may remain and another 20% could be lost during carding. You are unlikely to lose less than 15% or more than 70%. The average weight of yarn returned is between 50-65% of that received. Mohair and alpaca should yield between 70 and 90%.

Is my fleece suitable for spinning?

If you send us a sample we will advise, but if it is an inch (2.4 centimetres) or less long it will not be suitable for yarn, but could be carded for felt making. Otherwise the length of fleece is not a problem; if necessary we can chop it down. Matted and felted fleeces are more of a problem and may produce poor yarn or low yields.

What's the best yarn for my fleece?

This is a question you should have asked before you got the animals! It depends on your plans for the yarn. Do you want to sell it for knitting, make it into textiles, furnishing fabric or felt? The softness and fineness of the fibre is another factor. Blending your fibre with another can help and we can advise on this.

Is there an ideal length for fleece before it is spun?

For the best results fibre should be between 4-10 centimetres (1.5-4 inches) long. Fibre of varying lengths can help with spinning, but lengths of over 20 centimetres (8 inches) can cause problems. Fibre for worsted spinning can be longer, between 10-30 centimetres (4-12 inches). To improve quality, suri alpacas should be sheared annually, and long-haired sheep twice a year.

What sort of yarn do I need for a knitting machine?

It depends on the machine. Most have specific gauges, usually fine or chunky. If you tell us the machine gauge or the manufacturer we should be able to help. If you send us a sample of what you used before, we will do our best to match it.

Can yarns be made to precise specifications?

If you send us a sample of at least three metres we should be able to match it and will contact you if this proves impossible. There are inevitable differences between one sheep breed and another and from one fibre to the next. Remember that dyed yarns tend to be 'fatter' than natural ones. It is not possible to match synthetic yarns directly with natural ones.

How are yarn weights specified?

There is a wide variety of 'standards' which are a combination of thickness and twist. Although we have conversion tables, we mostly use Yorkshire Skein Weight and TPI or Twists Per Inch, where 3-5 is typical for knitting yarn and 6+ for weaving.

Why is wool next to the skin sometimes prickly?

This can occur with coarse fibre, generally with a thickness upwards of 30 microns. Filaments of wool can be measured in two directions: in millimetres from the shorn end to the tip (the staple length), and in microns for the diameter. Department store knitwear made from Australian merino wool usually comes from fibre of 22 microns, sometimes less. Cashmere and alpaca are comparable or finer. At eight microns, angora rabbit is the finest.

What do I do if I haven't enough fleece for the minimum order?

Either add your fleece to that produced by friends or neighbours, approach a breed society or join one of our share schemes.

As a wool mill these are the questions asked most. If you have others, please contact us.