Fiber Mill

This venture started back in September of 2010, when I first started to look into financing for a building and equipment.  After months and months of going to banks and writing and editing business plans and profit projections, I found a place willing to lend on such a unique business idea.  The funding was not an easy task by no means.  I literally had to have talked to forty banks and at least eight to ten of them I filled out loan papers.  After all the aggravation, one company, Farm Credit East, was willing to take the chance on me.  My family and I greatly appreciate this opportunity that F.C.E. has afforded us and give them much thanks.  All I can say is if you need funding for a Fiber Mill, "Do Not Give UP".  There is funding but it takes a long time for everything to go through.  For us, our funding came through in the middle of February 2011, almost six months after we started seeking it.
     
During that period of time I researched as many different equipment available for processing fiber that I could find.  For me, it came down to a few things; lead time, price, quality, and the ability to find machines made in the United States of America were essential. After four months of research, I found the equipment for us, built right here in the good old U.S.A.  That's right in a small town called East Jordan, MI, designed and built by Stone Hedge Fiber Milling Equipment Inc.  It was a unique and great experience to shake the hands of the people who were actually building our machines.  We greatly appreciate the time Chuck McDermott and his staff spent with us over a few days, explaining the ins and outs of running and maintaining the machines as well as what is involved with fiber processing.  Once again thanks to you all.
 
We are going to have a full service fiber mill capable of processing over 1500 lbs of fiber a month.  Our fiber mill is located in New York state, servicing all of the United States. We have purchased a picker, a carder, a de-hairer, a pindrafter, an air splicer, a spinner and plyer, skein and cone winders, as well as a needle felter.  In the future we are going to look at sock production and weaving, but for now we will work on one thing at a time.  The equipment we purchase is capable of processing any type of animal fiber as long as it is atleast 2.5" long and under 11".  As it stands now, we are hoping to open in early august 2011, for fiber processing.  Any questions or concerns, please feel free to call or email us. 

Processing all animal fibers 2.5" to 11" long.

• All fiber $5/lb for washing.  All fiber to be washed prior to processing. All fiber is washed in 180 degree water with Unicorn soaps and is double rinsed.  Price is based on incoming weight
• Fiber that is two dirty to process after picking will be washed again at $2.50 /lb.
• All Suri fiber requires a double wash.
• Orders under 5 pounds add $6 pound (small lot charge). $40/hr to skirt and grade fiber (do it yourself and save money). Fiber that is sent in full of a lot of veggie matter will most likely have a finished product with a lot of VM in it.  Our machines do remove VM but they can not turn a rock into gold.  We do our best to return a quality product but you yourself must take sometime with your fiber too..  If you take no time to clean and skirt before you send your fiber in,  then you should not expect your processor to take hours picking out VM.  If I clean all the VM out of your fiber you would lose all profit and perhaps lose money on your fiber.  Alpaca and llama with VM in it tend to be Almost Vm free at the end but wools and mohair with VM in it will probably come back with some Vm in it.  To get a better end product in the wool or mohair industry, it might best suit you to blanket your animals over winter.  We can run the fiber through the dehairer but it costs more money and you will lose fiber as well in the process.  You need to figure out if the lose of fiber is worth the end product and the bottom line.

Download a Fiber Processing Order Form here.

Carding Charges

All charges are based on washed weight...

$7/lb - Roving or Batting (includes picking and carding)

$13.25/lb - Roving or Batting (includes picking, precarding, dehairing, and carding)

Varigated roving add $2/lb (workd best with two colors, but can use three)

Pindrafted roving add $3/lb(1 pass only...  2 passes add $5/lb)

Blending fibers add $2.50/lb...  Fiber blended at the picker and carding machine will not be added this charge.  This basically includes all animal fibers.  Plant fibers and man made fibers can not run through our carding machine because they will clog it.  These fibers must be blended at the pindrafter.  Prices do not include the fiber to be blended.

Fibers for Blending

Merino - $1.60/oz    Alpaca - $1.60/oz   Bamboo - $1.50/oz   Tencel - $1.40/oz   Nylon - $1.05oz....  We have these fibers in stock.  We can get almost any fiber out there for blending, so do not be afraid to ask for something.

Needle Felting Charges

Needle felted sheets are made from carded batts.  All carding prices apply to this proceesing as well.  Needle felting is prices are based on finish weight.  Sheets are ~ 29" x 54".  The sheets can be joined to make larger sheets upon request.  There is an added charge of $3/lb to the below prices for this service.

$7.00/lb   ~1/8" thick sheet (3-4 passes... 1 pound batt)

$8.50/lb   ~1/4" thick sheet (5-6 passes...  2 pound batt)

$10.00/lb  ~3/8" thick sheet (7-8 passes...  3 pound batt)

Spinning Charges
All prices below include: pindrafting/spinning/plying/steaming/100 yard plus counted skeins

$16.25/lb - Lace Weight 30+ WPI  2 ply

$14.25/lb - Fingering 20+ WPI  2/3 ply

$12.50/lb - Sport/Semi-worsted 15-20 WPI 2/3 ply

$11.00/lb - Worsted/DK 10-15 WPI 2/3 ply

$9.00/lb - Bulky Weight  6-9 WPI  2/3 ply

For tweed yarns add $2/lb to the above prices...  Anything that is not listed please call on.  We will process any yarns but there may be additional costs to them.  There are too many options to try and list everything.  All yarn prices are based on finish weight.  Washing and roving prices must be added.

Seperate Fiber Processing Prices

A 20% down payment is required to start your fiber processing. Upon completion the balance is due. Customers will be charged a 5% late fee for every 30 days, after 90 days all fiber/yarn becomes property of Kindred Kreek. Any fiber that comes in that is deemed unproccessible shall be returned at customers expense.

Download a Fiber Processing Order Form here.