Our E​xperience
We are the only textile mill in Ontario dedicated to processing alpaca fibre. As owner/operators of Twin Pines Alpacas Farm & Fibre Mill we understand the dedication and work involved to achieve a successful annual fibre harvest. Our years of experience in raising Huacaya Alpaca for fleece production and textile milling has garnered numerous compliments for the quality of our product and our personalized service.
Our mill operator (Barb) is both an alpaca farmer and holds advanced certificates in camelid (alpaca) fibre sorting and grading. Barb's education and experience in raising alpacas, fibre classification and textile milling will help you make the most of your annual fibre harvest. Our focus for custom milling is to produce 100% natural fibre products for alpaca farmers.
Whether your herd is small or large - we do work with you to understand your needs and help you know how fibre should be prepped before it is received at the mill.
Our Services
We are a full service textile mill offering a range of products and services to meet your needs. Our milling process incorporates over 10 steps using specialized equipment to transform your luxurious fleece into a finished product.
Fibre Preparation
All incoming fibre is assessed for quality and prepared first via tumbling (included) followed by two complete wash cycles (not one) to help remove residual dirt before being picked and conditioned.
Dehairing
Dehairing (or more commonly known as fibre separating) is a unique process used in our mill to remove coarse fibres and hair from the finer alpaca fibres. The process is slow and well worth the investment as it produces a better quality product.
Blending
Blending is a process where animal or plant based fibres are milled together with your alpaca fleece. Our mill uses and supplies 100% quality natural fibres for our blending service offering you a variety of choices for your finished products. Blending adds lusture, durability, and strength to a finished product.
Products
Our mill can produce a variety of products including yarns of varying weights and styles, rovings, batts and felt insoles. The variety of milled options available provides a selection of finished goods to choose from and helps to optimize your fibre harvest.
Drop Off/Pick Up
Shipping fibre and paying for shipping finished products back to a mill can be costly. With each order, you have the option to use our Drop Off/Pick Up service to save on shipping costs. Our mill is located in central eastern Ontario - with easy access off main provincial highway corridors.
Pricing
Our custom milling pricing is competitive and offers you the ability to recoup milling expenses and still make a profit on your product sales. Product pricing is available to those who wish to place an order with our mill.
Our Commitment
We like to help farmers realize value from their fibre harvest.
In short, quality yarn starts on your farm - long before the fibre ever reaches a mill. Alpaca farmers are responsible for ensuring their fibre has been shorn and skirted properly for milling purposes.
How long will it take before I get my order back?
We schedule milling services first in - first out. Your milling date is established once you finalized your order and paid the required deposit. If there are delays in receiving fibre as originally planned, it will delay the time it takes to mill and return to you. The total time to process your order depends on what you are having milling and our current production schedule. We provide an estimated time for when your order is expected to be complete.
I want to ship my fibre to you - how do I do that?
We only accept fibre that has a full order placed and deposit made on file. If you are interested in our services, contact us and we will work with you to complete the order and provide details on how to ship to us using Canada Post. We also accept and coordinate dates for you to drop off your fibre at our mill on a pre-scheduled date/time. Please do not ship to us if you have not already placed and order and paid a deposit - as we provide timelines when fibre is to be received at the mill. If we have no order on file - unfortunately we cannot accept the shipment from the post office.
How do I place an order?
To place an order for custom milling services, we require all of the following information.
- Your Name (First, Last)
- Farm Name
- Full Address
- Phone Contact and
- Email
For each item to be milled, we need to know: - Estimated weight of incoming fleece (in pounds)
- Type of Fibre Cut (Blanket, Neck) & Staple Length
- Product Type (yarn (weight & style), rovings, batts, felt insoles)
- Dehairing Service - Yes or No
- Blending Service - Yes or No
If you have multiple blankets/neck cuts to be processed, please list each as a separate item. If you are batching (combining) fibre from different animals please note this in your email.
Packing Your Fibre for Our Mill
We require all incoming fibre to be packed to facilitate local storage once received on our farm. We will provide you with the details as we work with you on placing your order.
Product Offerings
We offer plied yarns (2 & 3), lopi and cotton core rug yarns, batts, rovings and felted insoles.
Minimum quantities of incoming fibre are required to ensure there is sufficient fibre available for the product. We have a minimum of 10 lbs incoming weight for an order to be placed.
All requests for Custom Milling Orders are to be made by email and sent to Barb at [email protected]
We require 2-3 business days to prepare and email back to you for review/edits and approvals.