We have an absolutely jam packed March 2020 NEAFP Note and we hope you read it in full here:

http://bit.ly/covid-19-fiberpool

Topics Include: COVID-19 Update from the Fiber Pool, Get the Most Out of Your Fiber Harvest, New Gift and Accessory Product Additions, PAOBA and NAAS 2020 Shows cancelled, New Unicorn Yarn Color Ways!, Cornell: Building Small Farm Resilience, NEW Bold Survival Sock Color, Some Labeling Updates, Fiber Sort Queue, and Upcoming Events!

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 Get the Most Out of Your Fiber Harvest

We've condensed our Fiber Harvesting Guide into the infographic below, so you can avoid the most common mistakes in alpaca fiber harvesting to ensure you finish with the highest commercially usable clip!

DOWNLOAD A FULL SIZE VERSION HERE:
PDF - JPG

Your Goal:

The goal at the end of shearing is to finish with the highest amount of usable alpaca fiber.

Usable Alpaca Fiber is:
◆ Free of all contamination
◆ Separated by color & grade
◆ Uniform in staple length & micron count
 

1. Contamination:

Contamination is the #1 reason that fleeces are downgraded or discarded.

Prevent contamination before shearing begins!
◆ Utilize low hay feeders
◆ Clear pastures of thistle & burdock
◆ Clean shearing area, barnyards & stalls
◆ Use shredded cardboard or straw bedding (not hay)

Top Contaminants Include:
◆ Vegetable Matter (VM)
◆ Farm Debris
◆ Color Contamination
◆ Second Cuts
◆ Guard Hair
 

2. Streamline Shearing:

Prepare: Band samples & identify fleeces going to shows or to processing. 
Your Shearer: Seek a shearer months in advance. Communicate your goals with them.
Your Help: Educate & assign staff, family & volunteers to specific tasks.
Work Smart: Keep the queue moving with a 2nd shearing station.
Shear from lightest to darkest & clean areas in between.
 

3. Classing

Blankets: Remove in one piece. Send straight to the skirting table, cut side down
Leg & Neck: Keep together
Apron, Belly, Coarse Fiber: Remove immediately

Keep different sections of fiber separate as they come off the animal & leave grading to the professionals.
 

4. Light Skirting

Skirt the fleece as it comes off the animal. Do NOT tumble your fleeces!
Use a wire mesh top skirting table. Keep each skirted fleece separate regardless of color.

Be Sure to Skirt Out:
◆ Excessive Guard Hair
◆ Armpit Hair
◆ Second Cuts
◆ Vegetable Matter
◆ Dirt, Dung & Debris
 

5. Packaging

Roll individual fleeces in newspaper or place in small plastic bags for short-term storage & shipping.
Combine into larger bags to be sent for processing.

Put completely dry fiber in paper lawn & leaf bags for long-term storage.

Put fiber to use soon after harvest or you may lose it to rodents, moths, or mold & mildew contamination.

This Happy Alpaca will cush his way into your heart!

...And what's better than one coaster? Four!

This set of four coasters is customizable - add your farm/business name, motto, or anything else you'd like. Buy a set for your own home, or take advantage of quantity discounts and offer sets for purchase in your farm store! They're a cute and fun way to enjoy your favorite beverage!

Each coaster is cut and engraved from 1/8" thick Baltic Birch wood, and treated lightly with a beeswax polish. Approximately 4" round by 1/8" thick

Customization: Add your Farm/Business Name or any other text (see image for example) just select the Customization option before adding it to your cart. We will send you the engraving form shortly there after!

Please allow 5-7 days for your customized engraving order to ship - Thank you!

Laser cut and engraved from Birch - a natural material - making each one unique, with slight variations in the look of the wood and engraving.

Find them now in the Gifts & Accessories Category!

Designed, Cut, & Engraved with LOVE

by NEAFP in Fall River, Massachusetts - USA

Starting in March 2020, you may notice that some of our socks are getting a labeling face lift!

We are updating our Survival, BOLD Survival, Low Pro, High Calf, and Gentle Touch Sock labels to utilize our newer branding rolled out in the last couple of years.

As we transition over to our new sock labeling, some styles will come with a mix of old and new labeling as it is dependent on when a particular style, size, and color combination was manufactured and went through our finishing process.

We expect all styles, sizes, and colors to be fully transitioned over to the new labeling by the end of Summer 2020!

Low Pro Sock Labeling

High Calf Boot Sock Labeling

Survival Sock Labeling

Gentle Touch Labeling

Make your business cards stand out with our

new USA ALPACA Business Card Holder!
 

Perfect for displays at your farm or on the table at your next market, this customizable holder is a highly visible way to keep your business cards organized. Easily assemble and disassemble for transport to all of the places you sell alpaca! This Business Card Holder fits up to 35 standard-sized business cards. 

Laser cut and engraved from Birch - a natural material - making each one unique, with slight variations in the look of the wood and engraving.

Customization: Add your Farm/Business Name or any other text on the front of the Business Card Holder - just select the Customization option before adding it to your cart. We will send you the engraving form shortly there after!

Please allow 5-7 days for your customized engraving order to ship - Thank you!

Find it now in the Marketing & Collateral Category!

Designed, Cut, & Engraved with LOVE

by NEAFP in Fall River, Massachusetts - USA

The Sustainable Alpaca

Alpaca Fiber: A Renewable Resource

Treading Lightly on the Earth

Consuming Less, Producing More

Feel free to share it on your social media page or print it and use it at your next farmer's market as an educational resource.
 

Download the printer-friendly file here!

Have an idea for a future graphic? Email us your ideas to support@neafp.com

Are you Feeling Lucky?

Even the Alpacas feel a bit Irish this March as they celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Our FREE March Coloring Sheet features a festive Suri Alpaca who's ready to lead you to a pot of gold! 

As the weather warms up, you'll be venturing outside for spring markets and open houses!. ..Hoping to entertain your youngest alpaca fans?

We've got you covered with a free downloadable coloring page!
 

Find it here on Facebook, or download a full-size, printer-friendly version at the bottom of this article!

Download the printer-friendly files here!

PDF Download - March Alpaca Coloring Page

High Resolution JPG Download - March Alpaca Coloring Page

Have an idea for a future graphic? Email us your ideas to support@neafp.com

Our February 2020 NEAFP Note Newsletter is officially out!

Topics include:

Mike and Sean's Adventure in Retailing

NEW PRODUCT: Insulated Alpaca Tumbler

RSVP for the AOA National Show!

NEW PRODUCT: Botanical Alpaca Keychain

NEW ADD-ON: Big Cable Alpaca Blanket Add-On Options, & more!

Read it in full here: https://mailchi.mp/neafp/2020-february-neafp-note-3026021

Alpaca Knitter’s Yarns
& The Magic of Unicorn Yarn

Perhaps we’re a bit biased, but we LOVE Alpaca Knitter’s yarns, and we especially love working with our dyed Unicorn Yarns. Every batch of Unicorn Yarn is unique, and each new colorway inspires heaps of new project ideas.

Why Alpaca Yarn?

Alpaca yarns are strong, yet soft. Like other alpaca products, the fiber used in Alpaca Knitter’s Yarns is a great insulator, meaning that hats, mittens, and afghans made out of alpaca yarn will keep you warmer in cold weather, than synthetic fibers and many other natural fibers. Don’t discount alpaca in warmer weather, either, as alpaca yarns make for breathable lightweight garments as well. A sportweight alpaca yarn could be the best choice for your next fluttery spring shawl. Our current blend of Knitter’s Yarns (70% US Alpaca and 30% US Merino Wool) is a much more sustainable, renewable choice when compared to yarns made out synthetics like acrylic! 
 

While everyone’s preferences differ, we’ve put together a table that will jumpstart your Alpaca Knitter’s Yarn know-how!

Sportweight Alpaca Yarn in natural and unicorn colors is suitable for a variety of projects. We've used sportweight yarn to make accessories like lightweight beanies and scarves, but sportweight yarn is also the perfect weight for craft projects like amigurumi!

DK Weight Alpaca Yarn is an incredibly versatile yarn, with just a bit more weight than Sportweight. The go-to yarn for our resident crocheter, DK yarn promises to make a warm and cozy hat, and works up quickly for larger projects like blankets.

Bulky Weight Alpaca Yarn more than lives up to its name. It glides across your knitting needles or crochet hooks like butter! Think thick cables and oversized cowls. Some chunky knit stockings are on our crafting to-do list for this year!

Unicorn-spiration

If you're trying to think of a project to keep you busy on the cold and dreary days of winter, take some inspiration from our past projects! We love all our knitter's yarns, but as you can see, we REALLY love working with Unicorn Yarn!

Mike and Sean's Adventures in Retail

Carolina Alpaca Celebration 2020 Edition

Mike and I spent last weekend attending and vending at the Carolina Alpaca Celebration in Concord, North Carolina. This year thousands upon thousands of alpaca enthusiasts attended the show to see the alpacas, watch some judging, and check out the latest and greatest alpaca product offerings. In my 15 years of attending and vending at alpaca shows, this was by far the most general public I’ve seen in attendance. Hats off to the Carolina Alpaca Celebration show committee for getting the word out to the general public!

Normally 99% of our time spent at shows is talking with new alpaca farmers, showcasing our latest alpaca products to existing members, and running the fiber collection. With an overwhelming amount of general public, we spent much more time than usual hanging out with end consumers on the retail level.

Here are our main takeaways from working a more retail focused alpaca show.

The demand for the “Alpaca Brand” has never been higher!

Over 40% of our retail customers bought at least 1 item that did not contain any alpaca fiber. T-Shirts, our new Insulated Alpaca Tumblers, Keychains, and Mandala Magnets all were great add-on purchases and sold in high volume alongside our Socks, Inserts, Textured Slouch Beanies, and Fingerless Gloves. The Gift and Accessory Alpaca branded products did particularly well with retail customers under 40, and extremely well with customers under 25.

With over 250 retail transactions throughout the weekend, the add-on gift and accessory items really helped bring our average checkout amount up, boosting overall retail sales for the show.

When we asked the retail customers if they had heard of alpacas before attending the show, over 80% of them were at least a little familiar with alpacas!

Educational Signage and Banners Helped Sell!

From 9am until 4pm on Saturday we had anywhere between 5 and 12 people inside our booth browsing and shopping our alpaca wares. One thing we noticed quickly was that having good signage that quickly conveyed the benefits of alpaca, the story behind our business, and what makes our alpaca products stand out in a crowd, allowed us to close more sales without individually guiding each customer through the process.

This proved hugely beneficial with the amount of foot traffic walking through the show and our booth, allowing us to answer specific questions while checking out customers.

Signage that proactively answers the most common questions about our products put in prime spots throughout the booth really helped us sell more throughout the weekend.

Repeat Customers are a Testament to Good Products!

This was our 5th year attending the Carolina Alpaca Celebration Show and it was great to reconnect with retail customers from the area who we had previously encountered in years past. Many people came up to the booth, some even wearing what they bought last year, proclaiming to us how great the product was and they were back to buy more for themselves, family and friends. That type of repeat business can’t be beat, and it’s a testament to the great properties of alpaca fiber and the quality products it goes into producing.

The biggest repeat product sales for this particular show came in Socks, Inserts, and Knitters Yarns.

Our highest volume alpaca product sellers to all retail customers were: Survival Socks, Backpaca Hikers, Textured Slouch Beanies, Knitters Yarns (led by DK Weight and Unicorn Yarn), Boot Inserts, and Fingerless Gloves.

The Story Behind the Product is so Important!

One thing we consistently heard from retail customers is that they loved that our products were Made in the USA with U.S. Grown Alpaca. By walking through the animal pens, watching the alpacas in the show ring, and then checking out the finished goods, they all felt a bit more connected to what they were purchasing and exactly who and what they were supporting. North Carolina in particular seems very interested in supporting U.S. Grown, U.S Made agricultural and textile products. We repeatedly heard retail customers asking each vendor "Where is this made?" throughout the entire weekend.

When we are at shows, we’re there to service our farms who contribute fiber and retail our finished alpaca products. It was a nice change of pace to put on our alpaca retailer hats over the weekend and get some first hand experience on things we’ve already been hearing from all of you over the years!

Last February, we spotlighted our warm and cozy Big Cable Blanket as the perfect gift to give someone you love. This Valentine's Day, we're revisiting the Big Cable Blanket as we're excited to announce a new product Add-on. 

Not only does The Big Cable Blanket now ship with a free accompanying insert that highlights the blanket's journey from farm, to fiber, to a special someone in your life, we are also offering a special add-on Gift Tag to make your blanket even more memorable. 

NEW ADD-ON: Make your gift even more special by purchasing a wooden Gift Tag. Gift Tags are made in-house out of Alder wood and measure 5 3/8" x 1 7/8". Each tag can be attached to 1 1/2" wide ribbon for easy gift wrapping!

To have a Gift Tag added to your Big Cable Blanket, simply select the Add:On - Gift Tag ($5.00) option when placing your order.
 

Love is in the Air...

Cupid's alpaca arrow has struck these two alpacas! If you're a romantic at heart, you'll love our February coloring page!

Winter markets and open houses continue into the new year!... Hoping to entertain your youngest alpaca fans?

We've got you covered with a free downloadable coloring page!
 

Find it here on Facebook, or download a full-size, printer-friendly version at the bottom of this article!

Download the printer-friendly files here!

PDF Download - February Alpaca Coloring Page

High Resolution JPG Download - February Alpaca Coloring Page

Have an idea for a future graphic? Email us your ideas to support@neafp.com

Our January 2020 NEAFP Note Newsletter is officially out!

Topics include:

2020 and Beyond, 23 Years of US Alpaca

Harnessing Sales Momentum in the New Year

RSVP for Carolina Alpaca Celebration

2020 Spring Show Lineup

January's Winter Coloring Page

Back in Stock: Textured Slouch Beanies and Kids Mittens, & more!

Read it in full here: https://mailchi.mp/neafp/2020-january-neafp-note

Each year NEAFP participates as a vendor in many alpaca shows scattered across the country. We are happy to haul your fiber back to our mill for free (RSVP with the links below!) We also deliver orders for free to shows we are attending as a vendor, just place your order at least a week before the event and save on shipping costs both ways!

Please note that Third Grade Fiber is NOT Eligible for Event Collections.

Carolina Alpaca Celebration

Fiber Collection RSVP HERE

February 15th - 16th, 2020

Concord, NC

show website

PAOBA Breeder's Showcase

Fiber Collection RSVP HERE

March 20 - 22nd, 2020

Centre Hall, PA

show website

North American Alpaca Show - Fiber Collection RSVP HERE

April 4th-5th, 2020

Springfield, MA

show website

MAPACA Jubilee

Fiber Collection RSVP HERE

April 24th - 26th, 2020

Harrisburg, PA

show website
 

Stay tuned as more shows are added throughout the year!

Alpaca farm stores across the nation report that 2019 was a record year for sales of alpaca goods, and it’s no surprise that the holidays were a huge sales driver. However, many business owners find that sales fall flat after the holiday season. The fall festivals and Christmas markets that are a touchstone of the season certainly make it easier to find customers and connect them to the gifts they are searching for. Though it may require some extra legwork, the diligent alpaca farmer can find ways to harness their holiday sales momentum into the New Year.

 

Unlike some holiday gifts, alpaca products go hand-in-hand with cold weather. Don’t forget that winter only officially began on December 21st! It will be a long winter, and it’s bound to get colder and snowier. Alpaca socks, gloves, and hats, among other products, are naturally soft, strong and warm, making them great winter insulators! Warm, cozy alpaca clothing and accessories are a no brainer, but cold winters spent inside are also great times to knit. Alpaca yarns are a great item to market during the winter to your crafty customers.

Communicating the benefits of alpaca with potential customers can make or break a sale. Perhaps your customer received a pair of new snow boots for Christmas. Make their boots last longer and feel even warmer with a pair of alpaca boot inserts, by stressing alpaca’s moisture wicking and odor resistant properties!
 

Using clear marketing collateral at your farm or market booth can really help communicate the benefits of alpaca to your customer base. You can find a number of such posters in the Marketing & Collateral section of our website (which can be viewed when signed into your shopping account).

 

“New Year, New You!” so the saying goes! Even before the holiday decor comes down, stores begin stocking up on cleaning products, exercise equipment, and health foods. For many, the New Year is synonymous with a lifestyle change, and resolutions mean a fresh start focusing on self-care. All-natural alpaca fiber is a healthy choice for clothing and accessories, as it’s naturally hypo-allergenic and odor resistant without the use of treatments and finishes. U.S. grown and made alpaca is renewable, sustainable, and beneficial for the climate at every stage of its life cycle. This makes it a perfect fit for customers hoping to to support slow, feel-good fashion and local small businesses as part of an overall lifestyle change.  As an alpaca farmer and local business owner, it's your job to educate your customers on the power of their dollar and the meaningful story behind U.S. Grown, U.S. Made Alpaca.

For those who have received cash under the tree or in their stockings, a pair of alpaca socks could be the perfect gift. Incentivize post-holiday sales by offering a promotion to your customers. Even the most shopped-out shopper may not be able to resist a good deal! Utilize your growing email list and social media fanbase to market directly to your best customers and supporters. This could be through offering free shipping, a storewide sale, or a free gift with purchase. Even better? Take account of your inventory and discount your slower moving products with your own New Year's clean sweep. Not only will your customers appreciate the markdown, but you'll be able to make room in your inventory for the essentials in the upcoming year.
 

Now is the time to start planning for smaller holidays like Valentine's Day, and even events like the Superbowl. The National Retail Federation found that in 2019, planned celebrations of Valentine’s Day were down, but spending was up. If trends for 2020 compare to those of 2019, an increasing number of shoppers will search for experiential gifts, rather than a bouquet of flowers or boxes of candy. As we noted in a previous article, farmers have found agritourism to be widely successful source of income. Your farm could host a one-on-one meeting with an alpaca on Valentine's Day, or be the backdrop for a wine tasting, paint night, or other romantic event.

Even though sales may be down in comparison to November or December, it’s not the time to go silent. Be sure to continue marketing your products on social media, which is reportedly surpassing email marketing to become the most powerful marketing channel available. If possible, follow up and thank holiday shoppers, and ask them for a review on social media! Positive reviews can help drive business in your slow season, and you may simultaneously remind previous customers that they need to reorder something from you in the new year!

Remember, a dip in sales is to be expected after the holiday season, especially as the NRF reports that holiday sales represent about 20-30% of annual sales for most retailers. Use your downtime to plan for the following year. This may be through budgeting, or by creating new content for your social media page with the help of a social media calendar.

Consider what did well for you in the previous year, and what you could improve on. Think about the pop-up markets and events you attended - how were their sales compared to previous years? Make a list of pros and cons of each and start planning your calendar for the upcoming show season. Were there certain products that did well, or months that sales fell flat? If possible, find a way to highlight what you did well and troubleshoot what went wrong before things pick up again next fall... and don't forget to congratulate yourself for the job well done in 2019!

Cheers to 2020!
 

We hope that these Business Resource Blog Posts have been helpful. Is there a topic you'd like us to cover in a future post? Write to us at support@neafp.com

Although the holidays are over... the cold and snow are here to stay!

The alpacas are itching to get out and play. Even if there's no snow on the ground, the January coloring page will give you the chance to play by putting the finishing touches on the alpaca's snowman!

Winter markets and open houses continue into the new year!... Hoping to entertain your youngest alpaca fans?

We've got you covered with a free downloadable coloring page!
 

Find it here on Facebook, or download a full-size, printer-friendly version at the bottom of this article!

Download the printer-friendly files here!

PDF Download - January Alpaca Coloring Page

High Resolution JPG Download - January Alpaca Coloring Page

Have an idea for a future graphic? Email us your ideas to support@neafp.com

Still Searching for the Perfect Holiday Gift?

If you're like us, you might have put off some (or all) of your holiday shopping. We've put together a gift guide to make giving a little more joyous! Take a look at these top picks for all the people on your list. 

All these U.S. Alpaca items are available at a farm store near you, just use our

store locator here: http://bit.ly/alpacafarmstores

Need it for the Holidays?

Believe it or not 2019 is winding down and the Holidays are just around the corner.

Here is all the most important info needed to plan ahead for those last minute orders!

NEAFP will be closed for our annual Holiday break Tuesday Dec. 24th through Thursday December 26th.

We will be back to work Friday December 27th.

Our last shipping day before our Holiday break is Monday December 23rd!

Any order that needs to ship out that day needs to be placed by 8am Monday morning to ensure shipment.

Through the holiday season, we recommend choosing UPS Ground or better for all your time sensitive orders. USPS starts to slow down in certain parts of the country and timely delivery is not guaranteed. Watch major weather patterns / snow storms as these may effect delivery times.

We have officially entered the holiday season...

Between sending off socks, hats, and gloves to good little boys and girls, the NEAFP elves were busy creating the December coloring page!

You're sure to be hosting open houses and participating in holiday markets, fairs, and festivals this month... Hoping to entertain your youngest alpaca fans?

We've got you covered with a free downloadable coloring page!

Find it here on Facebook, or download a full-size, printer-friendly version at the bottom of this article!

Download the printer-friendly files here!

PDF Download - Christmas Alpaca Coloring Page

High Resolution JPG Download - Christmas Alpaca Coloring Page

Have an idea for a future graphic? Email us your ideas to support@neafp.com

NEAFP's mill and office will be closed Thursday the 28th and Friday the 29th for the Thanksgiving Holiday.

All orders placed by the end of the day on Tuesday the 26th will ship Wednesday before we close.

Any order placed after then will ship when we return to the mill starting Monday December 2nd.

Thank you and we hope you all have a Happy Thanksgiving!