New to Processing?
This page contains a Step by Step Guide to processing fibre, as well as Advice and General Information, and links to useful guides on various topics from Placing Your Order to Marketing and Selling Your Product.
A Step By Step Guide to Processing with NFC
For Price Information Please email us: (enquiries@thenaturalfibre.co.uk) for our price list.
Join the Waiting List – When you are ready to place your order, contact us via email to ask to be added to our waiting list, providing the following details: the breed you have, your estimated incoming weight and the processing services that you require. We will call in your fibre when we are ready to process it in the mill. The waiting time can vary and we can advise you about this.
For Helpful Information and Our Terms – Download our Customer Guidance Notes and Terms and Conditions of Trade for more information (also available en francais)
Complete, Sign and Return the Order Form – Once this is signed for compliance with pesticide usage requirements we can accept scanned versions or you can return the form with your fibre.
Preparing and Packing Your Fibre – Contact us via email to receive some sacks to pack your fibre. You may wish to deliver the fleeces yourself at a prearranged time* or you may wish to arrange a courier such as DX, Parcel Force, DPD, Hermes, FedEx or DHL.
Sending in Large Quantities of Fibre – If you are sending very large quantities of fibre on pallets we can arrange the carriage service for collection and return of your sacks for you for a small charge. We are no longer able to provide this service for individual, small batches.
Things to Know
The Minimum Order for Incoming Fibre that we accept is 25 kilograms or 35 kilograms for worsted processing.
Sourcing More Fibre – We can add to your order if you have less than the minimum quantity. We are able to supply from our own stocks that we hold in the mill as well as source directly from farms and smallholdings, providing full traceability.
Delivering and Storing – *We are only able to accept deliveries of fibre during mill operating hours (Monday – Thursday, 9am to 4pm) and by prior arrangement. Due to limited storage space, deliveries that arrive without notice, or outside of these hours may be refused.
For Basic definitions of woollen and worsted spinning
For Frequently Asked Questions
You may find Our Glossary with words and terms we use when talking about sheep, fleece and processing useful.
To find out What happens to my fleece and how is it processed (also available en francais and auf deutsch)
To find out about Using our Unspun Services (scouring and prepared) for Wool, Alpaca or Mohair products (other than yarns)
All About Sheep
Sheep shearing and maintaining the quality of fleeces.
Alpaca shearing and maintaining the quality of fleeces.
Sheep Health* – Causes of diseases and how to control, prevent and treat. *Prepared with the help of Kate Steed, contributor of British Coloured Sheepbreeders Association newsletter and with reference to DEFRA, SCOPS and AHDB: Liver Fluke, Worms, Flies, Coccidiosis and Feet.
Our A4 wall chart calendar provides lots of useful information. For general issues and information about sheep please visit out Blog.
- General and Marketing Advice
Our Marketing Pack provides information about marketing your yarn and adding value through making textiles with it. If you are planning to sell the yarn, you need to comply with the Weights and Measures (Packaged Goods) Regulations 2006. Balls of yarn are usually 50, 100 or 200 grams and the weight sold has to fall within given tolerances.
Lengths of yarn in a ball or hank
Yarn Weights with varying thickness, amount of twist, single or plied.
Main image credit: Jane Cooper