To help small producers add value to their fleece, The Natural Fibre Company has developed a specialist scheme for small yarn producers so that their wool can be spun at an affordable cost.

These schemes are tailor-made for those of our customers and potential customers who produce less than 20 kilograms of fleece. The basic details of how these schemes work are explained below. For additional information, see our four-page attachment.

Customers who supply us with 5 kilograms or more of good quality fleece will be entitled, for a year, to a discount on the purchase of any Blacker Yarns or Blacker Designs product that uses that breed of fleece. The discount starts at 15% for 5 kilograms, rises to 20% for 10 kilograms, 25% for 15 kilograms and 30% for 20 kilograms and above. 

Note that the breeds named in a particular product will be those breeds whose fleece you supplied, but the product may not contain your fleece because we have to pool it to make minimum batches for different types and specifications of yarn. 

We do not supply sacks or pay postage for amounts of fibre less than 20 kilograms and cannot take less than 5 kilograms. Those selling fibre to us qualify for the same discounts, providing they put 5 kilograms or more of fleece into the share scheme. 

If you want at least some of your own fleece returned in a product, you may need to join forces with others. This could be a group of friends or neighbours, even if they have different breeds. It can give you more colour variety and you can continue marketing your product as locally grown. 

Some customers form groups within breed societies. Provided we can make it work, we will join in and take half the risk and supply half the fleece as it gives Blacker Designs a wider range of limited edition products.

We also collect small quantities of wool from specific breeds and of a comparable colour and quality and process these as one batch. With our specialist scheme for small yarn producers, customers who contribute their fleece again get a credit voucher for its value.