The following is the result of the questions presented to the attendees at the Alpaca Fiber Symposium.
During the open session on Sunday afternoon, those present were asked to come forward and write their answers to the questions
onto large sheets of paper taped to the walls. These sheets were collected and the written results compiled below.
It is hoped that these results will stimulate further discussion on how to move the fiber aspect of the alpaca industry forward.
Please stay tuned as to how to give your input.
"Homework" questions and answers from the "Brainstorming
Session" of The Alpaca Fiber Symposium
"The amount of check marks, if any, indicate how many other
people supported the individual statement besides the original author. Therefore every statement has at least one supporter.
Just add the check marks, if any, plus one and you have the total active supporters of the statement."
Who should be involved in advancing the domestic alpaca fiber industry and how?
1) Various groups which represent views of membership
2) Those that is willing.
3) A national brand i.e.:
Cotton "The look, the feel of _______, the fabric of your life!
4) AOBA needs to get involved.
5) A person
with marketing experience.
6) Involve logistics experts to develop distribution/collection functions.
7) Every
alpaca producer, by breeding for uniformity. By utilizing standardized shearing/sorting processes. By using alpaca personally.
By embracing other fibers. (Two check marks on this one, meaning three people supported this statement)
8) All
of us and thank you.
9) People who understand fiber and/or are willing to learn.
10) Every alpaca breeder
- learn, educate, share.
What information do you need to facilitate product development?
1) We need to know the properties of the product that we have. Not by individual
animal, but the properties that apply to all alpaca fiber. (Two check marks)
2) System development.
3) Access
to fashion/ home decor industry for trends and help developing products.
4) Documentation on the health benefits of
alpaca attribute, such as improved circulation and effects on menopause, outside the box
5) Direct leads to those
that can provide the protocol and system to proceed.
6) Standardize grades. (Four check marks on this one)
7) A brokerage house - market! (Three check marks on this one)
8) How does this work to help allow profit from
fiber production? Don't know about commodities markets - education.
9) We need a comprehensive list of industry
terms.
What role do you want the Alpaca Fiber Symposium to play in the fostering of a
domestic alpaca fiber industry?
1) Do it! (Three check marks on this one)
2) Open up for membership - solve all of the issues brought up today!
3) Looking beyond "what is" to
"what can be." (Two check marks on this one)
4) Meetings at the affiliate level with a textile-experienced
facilitator and structured sessions. (Four check marks on this one)
5) Establish active committees to include industry
leaders to begin these proposals.
6) Growing information on a website. (Four check marks on this one)
7)
Facilitate testing alpaca fiber blends.
8) Information
9) Facilitate cross border information trading. (One
check mark on this one)
10) Crunch the numbers and make sure the amount of wool is viable.
11) Continue the
conversation. (Two check marks on this one)
12) Education. (Three check marks on this one)
13) Keep doing
these seminars with leads into new options for our end (or raw) product. (One check mark on this one)
What information regarding marketing alpaca products would be useful to you?
1) Fashion trends and trend prediction/forecasting like other industries (consumer). (Three check marks on this one)
2) Yearly alpaca product sales with demographics.
3) Again - testing so we can give accurate, truthful information
about alpaca fiber - don't think this can be emphasized enough - Then educate/develop new customer base. (Four check marks
on this one)
4) Sharing successes. (Two check marks on this one)
5) Strengths of alpaca especially compared
to other fibers.
6) Who is buying, where and when! (One check mark on this one)
7) Not quite marketing - but
develop a group of people who would grade and sort fiber - probably not animal people - a new occupation - to get that fiber
out of closets (already in place NAAFP).
8) A data base where produce[r]s list their inventory and industry posts
their needs (like the Missouri Hay Listings). (One check mark on this one)
What further research
needs to be accomplished in order to advance the domestic alpaca fiber industry?
1) Are there enough alpacas currently and projected that will produce enough fiber to accommodate both a commercial/cottage
industry?
2) Produce a comparison of U.S. vs. South American blends and Australia.
3) Should we breed
to remove medulated (i.e. guard hair) fibers? These fibers cool the animal and are good for its health!
4) Analyze production costs/lb. vs. income/lb./product - grade.
5) Tensile strength, moisture regain,
decomposition rate.
6) Scouring and washing facilities
7) Test to determine if lock types process differently
from one another.
8) We need to identify and test different fiber "types" to get best product
for least processing. (Two check marks on this one)
9) We need to get the definition of breed stocks out of the hands
of promoters and into the hands of people who understand fiber and it properties.
10) If we know what properties alpaca
fiber has, then we can effectively evaluate the possibilities for this fiber - ALL the possibilities! (Two check
marks on this one)
11) Valid, reliable test results on key attributes. (One check mark on this one)
12)
Test insulation vs. other fiber types (flammability, absorbency, R factor). (Two check marks on this one)
13)
Verify industry claims - hypoallergenic, tensile strength, and elasticity - abrasion tests/durability.
14) Sorting/grading
standardized and who standardizes.
15) Communication between the textile industry processors to establish the attributes
of alpaca fibers and parameters.
16) Establishment of quality standards for finished alpaca goods.
17) National
logo/identity.
18) Research models in wool industry for getting fiber from farm to end user -brokers.
What are the greatest challenges you face as a producer of alpaca products?
1) Match fiber with best end product.
2) Reliable and predictable fiber supply.
3) Access to capital to
produce products.
4) Breeding of uniformity and comprehensive understanding of sorting.
5) Don't reinvent
the wheel.
6) Marketing tools to appeal to the customer.
7) How does our National Organization fit into the
picture?
8) Being more efficient and economical on the farm.
9) Facilitate breaking perceived divide between
fiber producers and seed stock producers.
10) Don't share information.
11) Do all the above and still
be profitable?
12) Cottage and/or commercial industry - question of scale.
13) Lacking consistent standard
for fiber.
14) Discover/identify your customer.
15) Information clearing house to connect grower and product
producer - resource accessible.
