New USPS Package Fees went into effect Monday, April 4th
 

USPS announced two new fees on January 9th that went into effect this week. Packages over 2 cubic feet in volume will incur fees between $16.50 to $19 on top of the cost of shipping.

This will affect larger packages, particularly fiber being mailed in, and now makes UPS Ground and FedEx Ground more viable for shipments 2 cubic feet or more.

Here is an example of a 2 Cubic Foot box
18" x 15" x 12.5"

First Batch added 3/8/2022

First Limited Small Batch added 2/26/2022

Looking for a quick and fun way to express your creativity while adding a splash of color and personalization to your alpaca products?

Our Alpaca Felt Cutouts come in assorted shapes and can quickly be needle felted onto our Teardrop Felt Trivets or any other alpaca product you can dream up.

Our assorted pack comes with a Moon, Star, 2x Hearts, 5x Flowers, and 3x Leaves - giving you some options and the ability to embellish several different items.

Offer them as add-ons to your customers so they can needle-felt them on their products or you do the needle felting and make some of your offerings extra special and one-of-a-kind items!

Each Alpaca Felt Cutout - Assorted Pack comes with:- 1x Moon, 1x Star, 2x Hearts, 5x Flowers, & 3x Leaves

Available Now!

Cynthia Kuhlmann of Sierra Rose Alpacas is now a fiber drop-off location for NEAFP!

Accepting fiber until October 17th, 2021 by appointment.

Sierra Rose Alpacas is located at:

15895 Greenhorn Rd.

Grass Valley, CA 95945.

Google Map Directions

Here are all the details:

We will accept your fiber, boxed by you and ready to ship, and put it on a pallet and ship to NEAFP.

The collection starts Sept. 20, 2021 and closes October 17, 2021.

This will save in shipping costs for all who participate: If you are attending Gold Country Gathering in Grass Valley, this is a good time to drop your ready-to-go boxed fleece at Sierra Rose Alpacas - just 15 min from the Nevada County Fairgrounds. Make an appointment for drop-off!

WHAT MUST YOU DO?

• Enroll in NEAFP for either their FIBER PURCHASE or FIBER BANK program. https://www.neafp.com/index.php?dispatch=pages.view&page_id=25
• Print DEPOSIT SLIP FORMS for your fleece and package it according to NEAFP requirements. DEPOSIT SLIP FORMS are on the NEAFP website.
• Bag and Box your fleece for shipping and credit for your farm per their instruction.
• Use standard shipping boxes only such as 16x16x16, Cube-like boxes. Sierra Rose Alpacas will not box your fleece, we are only accepting ready-to-go boxed fiber, taped closed & ready to ship.
• Make an appointment with Cynthia@SierraRoseAlpacas.com to drop off your boxed fleece at her ranch.
  • We are only 15 minutes from the Gold Country Gathering so you can make an appointment during that event if you want.
• For more information on which program to join, and how to properly label your fiber for receipt at NEAFP, visit their website. https://www.neafp.com/index.php

FROM NEAFP:

2021 Update: Regional Collection Transportation Fee

To help offset growing transportation costs, we are implementing a $10 transportation fee per 50 lbs submitted using Regional Collection Points for 2021.
Fiber Transportation Fee Rate Example Table (based on incoming weight)

1 to 50 lbs = $10
51 to 100 lbs = $20
101 to 150 lbs = $30
151 to 200 lbs = $40

The transportation fee applies to incoming weight and will be invoiced to each farm once their fiber has been sorted through by NEAFP.

The transportation fee will help offset the growing costs of running the collections and give us the resources to expand them in the future.

The Fiber Transportation Fee is waived for all host farms running regional collections and fiber drop-offs.

We hope this helps you get motivated to get your clip out of your barn and into production!!

Warmly,
Cynthia Kuhlmann

Our bouclé-lined Alpaca Mittens have been a hit since we first released them in 2017.

The knit outer shell takes alpaca’s naturally temperature regulating and moisture-wicking properties and enhances them with the ultra-fine Bouclé style lining that wraps your hand in comfort and another layer of insulation.

This 1-2 combo works together to keep your digits warm and protected from the elements.

We wanted to take this lined Alpaca Mitten to the next level, so we added a leather palm where it’s needed most.

The shape and placement of the goatskin leather protects your palm while still giving you full use of your thumb and fingers.

The goatskin leather palm is naturally water-resistant and extremely durable and will become softer and more supple over time.

Adding a layer of strong leather protection to this lined Alpaca Mitten brings it to the next level and is sure to be a crowd-pleaser among your more discerning customers!

Currently made in Slate Grey with Black Leather Palms - in Size Small, Medium, and Large while supplies last!

Available now

at both Fiber and Wholesale pricing!

As many of us begin to venture back into the office full time, so re-starts the never-ending debate of what temp to set the thermostat at!

Whether the AC is too cold for you in the Summer, or the heat isn't high enough in the Winter, our Alpaca Wrist Warmers will help keep you comfortable and as productive as you'd like.

Our latest Eyelet design adds a 3D ruffle of texture around the top and bottom of your hand while the tighter knit around the wrist traps warmth where you want it most.

Use our Alpaca Wrist Warmers to stay comfortable, whether working on the computer, driving or walking to your favorite restaurant in town.

With full access and mobility of your fingers and thumb, these Alpaca Wrist Warmers will keep you warm + cozy while allowing you to do anything and everything you'd like!

Available now in Steel Blue + Slate Grey Colorways!

Designed, Cut, Sewn, Dyed & Finished

right here at NEAFP in Fall River, Massachusetts

Just like the Alpacas that helped us create it - our new and improved Waffle Alpaca Beanie can best be described as cozy, warm, and inviting.

To update this style, we reimagined it from the ground up, starting with using a heavier, softer alpaca yarn.

This medium-weight alpaca beanie is knit with a half-cardigan stitch, giving it a soft and open ribbed texture.

The welcoming alpaca knit hugs your head in one of nature’s best insulating fibers.

Warm and cozy, while still allowing your head to breathe and wick moisture, this Waffle Alpaca Beanie is as versatile as they come.

Wear this beanie apple picking in the fall or while walking your dog in the dead of winter, its unlined open-knit will keep you comfortable and feeling cute in most conditions.

Made in the USA with U.S. Grown Alpaca Fiber

Designed, Cut, and Sewn by NEAFP in Fall River, MA

Dimensions: 8" wide by 9" Tall. Sized to accommodate most U.S. Adults

Contents: 80% U.S. Alpaca, 20% Recycled Nylon

One of our U.S. Alpaca Topsellers year after year just got a makeover!

This year we've taken the sewing and finishing in-house so we have better control over the look and feel of our Alpaca Glittens. This also opened the door for us to add a splash of color, so for the 2021 alpaca season, the Alpaca Glittens will be available in Slate Grey and Steel Blue colorways!

Available now at both Fiber and Wholesale price points while supplies last!

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Is it a glove? Is it a mitten? It’s the best of both worlds!

Our Alpaca Glittens offer the warmth of a mitten and the dexterity of Gloves, making them a perfect fit for hunting or any activity where you need quick access to your fingers. The mitt flap pulls back and attaches with a secure button, giving your digits free roam.

Harnessing the natural characteristics of U.S. Grown Alpaca fiber, our Glittens will keep you warm without the bulk and are designed to hold up on any wilderness-bound adventure.

Alpaca fiber is also naturally moisture-wicking, breathable,  and retains heat in both dry and wet conditions - making it a great insulator.

If the Fall and Winter weather tends to throw you for a loop like it does here in New England, then rest assured, our Alpaca Glittens allow full warmth and coverage, and the ability to stretch your fingers when it’s time to get to work.

Explore more with the help of our Alpaca Glittens.

Our newly re-designed Radar MASH Hat continues to pay homage to Radar O'Reilly while bringing a bold splash of color and function to any adventurer's winter garb.

The jersey knit outer shell uses Alpaca's naturally insulating and thermo-regulating properties to keep you comfortable and warm.

The inner headband area is lined with microfleece, to block the wind and keep the hat fitting well season after season, adventure after adventure.

The top of your head will still be able to breathe and exchange moisture through the alpaca jersey knit, keeping you comfortable, even if you break a sweat working out in the cold.

The sewn-in sturdy brim is pliable and will hold its shape over time, protecting your eyes from precipitation, so you can see and stay on the trail.

U.S. Grown, U.S. Made Alpaca

This hat is designed, cut, sewn, dyed, and finished

right here at NEAFP in Fall River, MA.

Available now in small quantities at our Fiber and Wholesale price points!

Updated June 16th, 2021

Desert Rose over Bulky Yarn - Added June 16th, 2021

Inland, it's a hot one.

With mother nature teasing August's relative humidity levels, and the sun trying to remind us who's boss, we SO appreciate the bay breeze this afternoon.

 

With the sun shining, and the sea breeze keeping our skin sane, we are excited to announce our two newest colorways.

 

These new hand-dyed Alpaca Yarns, done over our Bulky All Natural Yarn, are now available as part of our Limited Small Batch offerings!

 

The Daffodils have bloomed, serving as a friendly reminder gardening season is here!

 

Taking Spring as our muse, our newest Unicorn Yarn colorway celebrates these early bloomers popping up across New England.

 

Our Daffodil colorway is hand dyed over our Sportweight Alpaca Yarn and is available now as part of our Limited Small Batch offerings!

 

 

The Unicorns wanted to expand their horizons and turned to one of their favorite crystals for inspiration.

 

Amethyst is not only a beautiful crystal, it also is said to relieve stress, anxiety, and increase one's psychic abilities.

 

We hope this soothing colorway is able to impose some of Amethyst's properties on the handpainted yarn, and ultimately whatever is made with it!

 

This Amethyst colorway, hand-dyed on our Alpaca Sportweight Yarn, is available now as part of our Limited Small Batch offerings!

Our 2021 Alpaca Fiber Purchase Program is officially open!

Year over year the demand for our U.S. Grown, U.S. Made Alpaca products continues to grow. With this continual growth, comes exciting changes to our fiber purchase program.

In 2021, we are expanding the purchase program call to 35,000 lbs of qualifying alpaca fiber.

We've also introduced a higher quality tier that increases our max payout by over 37% per LB.

Head to the 2021 Fiber Purchase Program page

to get all the details and learn how to start submitting your fiber!

Spring is here, or so they say.

The days are getting longer and although the nights are still feeling frigid the flowers are sticking to the schedule.

The Unicorns wanted to embrace the change of seasons and channeled their favorite flowers as inspiration for our newest colorway.

Introducing Tulip Fields, done over our all-natural Sportweight Alpaca Yarn.

Available now as part of our Limited Small Batch offerings!

If you are planning on submitting fiber to NEAFP

then this survey is for you!

By getting a better understanding of the demand for fiber collection around the country, we can focus our efforts where they are needed most and coordinate to offer more fiber collection options.  

With the cost of shipping increasing year after year, it's now more important than ever to work together to find cost-effective options for getting the alpaca fiber out of the field and into production.

This short fiber collection survey will only take a few quick minutes

so fill it out and please share it with your alpaca farmer friends!

Thank you very much!

In February 2021's NEAFP Note, we cover:

Alpaca's Strong Start to 2021

What's back in stock?

Business Article: 2020 Trends Shaping 2021 and Beyond

Upcoming Fiber Collections

& current Fiber Sort Status!

Read it in full here: https://mailchi.mp/neafp/2021-feb-note-s1

Want to make sure you get all future NEAFP Notes emailed to your inbox?

Subscribe to our email newsletter here!

With global tourism grinding to a halt during the pandemic, people shifted their travel plans to regional trips they could reach by car.

Rural, remote, and quiet destinations are taking the place of the usual city hot spots. 

AirBnB even created their own Farm Stay category last year, catering to the growing demand for rural and low-key countryside travel trends.

We believe this trend of regional leisure travel, primarily by car, will continue in the years to come. 

As working from home also becomes the new normal, more and more people are looking to explore the great outdoors and get out of the house each weekend.

Many states are also looking to expand the definition of agri-tourism and offer more resources to help support the growing industry. 

Alpaca Farms around the country will be able to capitalize on this trend, by having agri-tourism events on the farm and offering accommodations for guests to stay for a small taste of the alpaca life.

Although farmer’s markets and pop-up vending event opportunities diminished in 2020, the rise of local delivery and curbside pickup helped farms continue to serve their local communities effectively. 

Before the pandemic, curbside pickup options were already on the rise, led by grocery and hardware stores, and have now become fully mainstream.

Offering contactless pickup options for faster delivery (no more shipping delays!) is convenient for your local customers and some would even pay a premium if it were bundled with time spent watching the alpacas graze. 

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

We are excited to announce new Alpaca Headbands in solid colors!

Since we released our Spindle City Collection Alpaca Headbands in 2015, we received many requests for solid color choices.

We are excited to officially release them. Currently available in Grey, more natural solid color choices will be available in the weeks to come.

Our Alpaca Headbands are the perfect mix of style and comfort.

The soft and naturally temperature regulating alpaca knit is lined with Polartec micro-fleece, protecting your ears and forehead from the elements while still allowing your head to breathe.

The lining also allows the headband to accommodate a wide range of adult head shapes and hairstyles while still staying in place all day long.

If you are looking for a stylish and naturally cozy option but don't need the extreme warmth of a full alpaca knit hat, then this is a great choice!

Dimensions: Approximately 9" by 3", sized to accommodate most Adults.

Content: 80% U.S. Alpaca, 20% Recycled Nylon

Inner Lining: 100% Polartec Micro-fleece

Care Instructions: Gentle Hand Wash in Cool Water with Mild Detergent, Lay Flat to Air Dry

Available now at Fiber and Wholesale Pricing!

Keep your eyes peeled for more solid colors to be added!

Posted 2/20/2020
Download the Graphics: Alpaca Knitter's Yarn Guide

The first of many graphics-based resources of 2020, our "Guide to Alpaca Knitter's Yarns and The Magic of Unicorn Yarn" highlight the benefits of using alpaca yarns and offers suggestions on which yarns can be used for different projects. This article includes a handy "Alpaca Knitter's Yarn Guide" with information on the yardage and suggested needle size for all of our yarns.
 

Posted 3/16/2020
Download the Graphics: Get the Most out of your Fiber Harvest

We condensed our Fiber Harvesting Guide into a single infographic, so you can avoid the most common mistakes in alpaca fiber harvesting to ensure you finish with the highest commercially usable clip! With shearing only a few months away, be sure you're prepared by checking out this useful graphic.
 

Posted 3/19/2020
Read the Full Article: Virtual Farm Tours: Bringing People & Alpacas Together in the Virtual World

In Spring 2020, social distancing was adapted as a widespread precaution against COVID-19. Our article suggested that farms adapt Virtual Farm Tours to remain connected to customers. With restrictions still in place across the country, it's still a good time to consider offering a virtual farm tour. Beyond immediate concerns, a virtual tour is more feasible for someone unable to visit due to distance, finances, or physical ability.
 

Posted 3/30/2020
Read the Full Article: Use Gift Cards to Increase Sales

Many farms have seen an immediate pop in sales simply by accepting additional payment methods other than cash. With the steadily growing use of card payments, small businesses are beginning to incorporate not only debit and credit cards, but gift cards as well, due to their convenience and flexibility for everybody involved- the buyer, the receiver and the merchant. This article explains why you should begin offering gift cards at your alpaca farm and ways to go about doing it.
 

Posted 6/08/2020
Read the Full Article: The New Normal and a Renewed Support for U.S. Alpaca

In June 2020 we took a look at the state of the U.S. Alpaca industry, as communities across the country realized the importance of supporting small business, buying local, and shopping sustainably. U.S. Alpaca continues to be at the forefront of a renaissance in local agriculture, U.S. manufacturing, and a call for more sustainable fashion. Our resilient farmers proved they were able to survive and even thrive under new conditions.
 

Posted 7/17/2020
Read the Full Article: Harnessing Storytelling to Market Your Business

As e-commerce became even more prevalent last year, the connection that people would normally make face-to-face at a market now occurs more frequently online. The conversations you've had in person, however, educating the public about alpacas and their fiber, can be translated into the digital world through storytelling. Using storytelling or emotional branding can be an extremely effective marketing tool, and we’re certain that alpaca farmers have many stories to tell!
 

Posted 8/10/2020
Read the Full Article: Customer Retention: Building Customer Loyalty for your Ecommerce Business

Our August article highlighted the importance of customer retention for your business. The overall experience that you build for your customers throughout each interaction can instill a sense of loyalty to your brand, propelling them to return for future purchases. From your website, to the order process, to the delivery, and regular e-mail correspondence, you can use these tools to build customer loyalty for your ecommerce business.
 

Posted 8/21/2020
Download the Graphics: Alpaca Fiber Properties

Our Alpaca Fiber Properties Graphic is conveniently sized for 8.5 x 11" printer paper. It features alpaca's most commonly referenced characteristics - so print it out and bring it to your next market!
 

Posted 8/21/2020
Download the Graphics: How to Support Alpaca Farms

There are a lot of alpaca fans out there who would love to support your farm, even if they don't have the ability to purchase your products. We created this shareable graphic for social media, so you can show your followers that they can still support in other meaningful ways to get your business out there!
 

Posted 9/11/2020
Read the Full Article: A Change in the Seasons: Farms Continue to Adapt into the Busy Harvest Season

We followed up our June article in September by reviewing how farms were adapting to changes brought about by the pandemic. The harvest season is perhaps the busiest time of year for farms of all types, and the cooler weather typically coincides with the hustle and bustle of farmer's markets and craft fairs that extend into the winter months. Despite restrictions, farms continued to adapt and made the most of their circumstances.
 

Posted 9/15/2020
Download the Graphics: Sock and Handwear Comparisons

In addition to September's article, we also created new, free sock and handwear comparison posters. These posters are sized at 8.5" x 11" for at-home printing, and can be posted at the farm or on your website! Perfect signage to help distinguish the difference between some of our most popular products!
 

Posted 11/13/2020
Read the Full Article: Form Follows Function: Dressing for Fall and Winter 2020

With cold weather approaching, we forecasted the upcoming trends in clothing and accessories for fall and winter 2020. Based on the rising popularity of outdoor alternatives to common leisure activities like dining and concert-going, we found that customers were searching for new ways to keep warm. As usual, alpaca farm stores were (and continue to be) poised to take advantage of these new trends!
 

Posted on 11/25/2020
​​​​​​Download the Graphics: Shop Small this Holiday Season

Small Business Saturday is always a big shopping day for Alpaca Farm Stores. We created a shareable graphic to encourage customers to shop small and local not just that Saturday, but all season long!

​​​​​​Download the Graphics: NEAFP Alpaca Sock Photo Resource Folder (Login to your Account to View)

We’re often asked whether alpaca farmers can use our photos and descriptions of NEAFP products on their personal pages. The answer is always a resounding YES! Part of our job is to make it easier for you, the alpaca farmer, to successfully run the fiber side of your business.

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

Happy (almost) Valentine's Day!

This time of year is always a challenge in keeping the kids happy and entertained, especially with many still remote learning.

With the frigid cold weather in full swing, we are spending even more time than usual cooped up inside.

It's safe to say, the kids and adults alike, are all looking for something fun and lighthearted to do at home.

Our February Alpaca Coloring Page is a mini DIY project to create fun alpaca-fied Valentine's Day gift tags!

Share these coloring pages with your farm's biggest (and littlest!) fans so they can enjoy an alpaca filled calm coloring project at home!

Download the printer-friendly files here!

2021 February Coloring Page

PDF Download - February Alpaca Coloring Page

High-Resolution PNG Download - February Alpaca Coloring Page

P.S. 

Don't forget to download last year's Winter-themed coloring page!

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