(see "Skirting a Fleece for Processing" training presentation, available on the AFCNA members website at www.afcna.com)

Fleeces should be placed in clear plastic bags. Do not use green, black or polypropylene bags to ship or store your fleeces.  Polypropylene is especially bad as it will contaminate the fiber.

AFCNA recommends boxes measuring 18" x 18"x18" - new or in very good condition. Tightly packed boxes should hold 18-25 pounds. Do not ship fiber loose in boxes; it must be in clear plastic bags in order to be graded.

At this point, there should be many separate bags of alpaca fiber. See "Skirting a Fleece for Processing" training presentation (available on the AFCNA members website at www.afcna.com) for detailed instructions and pictures demonstrating the following:

• There should be separate bags for suri versus huacaya fiber types.
• For each fiber type, there should be separate bags for each Blanket,
• Combine all Neck and Middle Leg fiber, each animal in it's own small plastic bag, into one large bag.
• Combine all Pieces into 3 color group bags: White/Light Fawn - Black/Silver Grey - All the Rest
• All bags should be compressed manually to remove as much air as possible to minimize the number of boxes. Use of a vacuum cleaner to remove air is recommended. By placing a nylon stocking over the end of the vacuum tube, fiber will not be sucked in and the tube can be removed as you hold the bag "tail" with your other hand. Make sure that there is enough "tail" on the bag, after removing air, to twist the bag "tail" round and round as many times as possible, then tuck the twisted "tail" under the bag as you tightly pack each successive bag into the box. Seal each box as you go; air will undoubtedly sneak in if you wait to seal the box. Regardless, please do not tie bag or use rubber bands, twist ties, quick locks, or padlock to close your bag-tail!

FORMS

AFCNA requires each member to fill out one Transportation Form per box and one Summary Transportation Form summarizing your entire shipment.  These forms are available for download at the AFCNA members website at www.afcna.com

For these forms, it is necessary only to record total weight of fiber in each box for each of the two fiber types

1. Huacaya  
2. Suri 

The central collection facility will be responsible for refining these weight numbers when the fiber is further graded by fiber fineness (i.e., into micron range classes) and length.

LABELING

Labels are available for downloading at the AFCNA members website at www.afcna.com.

The outside of each box should be boldly marked with the member's return address specifically;

1. your last name and
2. member number (Your AFCNA number is that which appears on the top left of your membership certificate after your last name, farm name, address and a box sequence number:
• As in: 1 of 4, 2 of 4, and 3 of 4. (This will alert us to stray shipments and make sure you receive credit for your entire clip!) If you send only one box, mark the box 1of 1 so Tapetes de Lana knows not to search for other boxes from your farm.
• Place one Transportation Form in each box. Place the Summary Transportation Form in Box # 1.

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