processing & Pricing

At Good Shepherd Mill, our floorspace is limited so we ask you to hold onto your fiber until we are within 1-2 months of being ready to process it.  You can join our wait list by emailing Our Mill to share how many fleeces you have to process, what kind of animal they are from and what you want us to make it into.  When we are ready for your fiber, we will email you to schedule drop off at WoolWorks, Etc in Louisburg or to have you ship it to us in Cleveland, Missouri.  

Our policy is to ship finished product to customer as its completed.  This may mean you will receive an invoice for a portion of your total order - once paid we will ship out (or allow locals to come pick up).

• Save yourself time & money by skirting it!  Take out what you don't want to have to pay for us to take out.  We will skirt each fleece during the wash cycle but if it takes extended time, there will be an additional skirting charge of $4/pound.  We reserve the right to refuse fiber if the VM is excessive or if there is evidence of moths/eggs present.
• Depending on the fiber type and length, we recommend adding Merino top of 10%-30%.  This goes for Suri, Mohair, Short Alpaca, Angora, Gotland and longwools less than 4" in length.  Other fibers such as bamboo, silk, nylon, etc may be added as well.  Adding a small amount of Merino top to some fibers can improve the quality and reduce loss due to fibers not holding together.  It also provides memory to the finished product.
•  Fiber length for spinning: Assessing your fiber for spinning on our machines includes looking at its length. Currently we can spin lengths from 3.5 inches to 10 inches. Longer than that won’t draft properly, and shorter than that will fall apart in the drafting zone. If in doubt, call to discuss your fiber before you pay to ship it to us. The spinning machines that we use are called “long staple spinners”.  If your fiber is between 3.0 - 3.5 inches, we can process if 30% merino top is added.  Anything under inches it can be made into roving, batting, corespun or felt, but not yarn on our machines.
• We reserve the right to add 10-30% of Merino top to any fiber to allow us to process it on our equipment.  This is required when fiber is too fine or too short to be able to process on its own.  ($5 blending fee/lb)
• We will wash ALL incoming fiber to ensure that it can run optimally in our equipment.  This is built into our pricing.  If you still choose to pre-wash, please do not use conditioners, oils or fabric softeners.
• Wool typically will lose 30-50% in weight during processing depending on final product.  Skirting will increase your loss, so skirting your fiber prior to sending it to the mill will minimize vegetation matter (VM) and areas of poor, damaged or marked fiber.  Pricing is based on incoming weight so save yourself some money and save us the trouble - please!  Skirting reduces loss during processing and therefore increases the percentage of final product you will receive.
• Minimum batch size of 4 lbs incoming weight.  This is due to setup time required.  $15 service fee for lots under this minimum.

All fiber must go through a washing, drying, picking and carding process.  

The following prices are based upon incoming weight reflect those processing steps included.  Spun yard includes plying if desired as well as a fee for skein or cone.  

When two prices are listed, first is for standard wool, second is for exotics.

Finished Products (standard/exotic)

Finished Roving                                          $15/$19

Finished Roving Pin Drafted                  $20/$24

Finished Batting                                         $15/$19

Finished Felting (non-wet)                    $20/$24

Finished Core Spun (rug yard)             $21/$25

Spin - Single Ply (all thicknesses)       $29/$32

Ply - Chunky, Worsted, DK, Sport        $32/$35

Ply - Fingering                                              $40/$44

Ply - Lace                                                        $42/$46

Steam Skeins                                               $2

Added Merino top                                      $28 (per pound added)

(Prices in pounds)

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Add Ons

Extra Skirting                                               $4

Dyeing                                                             $11

Blending fee for Merino Top in             $5

Blending Exotics (listed below) in      $6

Cone Wind (instead of skein)                $2

Wash only                                                      $10

(Prices in pounds)

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 DEPOSIT (based upon incoming weight) As of January 1st, 2025

Required Processing Deposit Fees:

• Spinning orders $15/pound
• Roving, Batting, Core Spun, Felt $10/pound

Fiber will be weighed upon receipt at the mill to determine incoming weight.  An invoice for your deposit will be sent.  All deposits must be paid before we will work on your order. All processing charges must be paid in full before we will ship your fiber back to you. Any unpaid invoice after 60 days of being notified payment is due, will result in your fiber being considered abandoned and will be sold to cover the processing charges. 

* Additional charges may apply depending on requests and fiber submitted. (Available upon request: Added silk, bamboo, tencel, angelina, nylon, alpaca, angora, etc.) 

* Exotic fibers include but are not limited to: mohair, llama, alpaca, and dog hair.

* Outstanding accounts will be assessed a 1.5% charge per month on any balance due over 30 days. After 60 days, items from accounts unpaid  will become the property of Good Shepherd Mill,  Inc.

Please feel free to email us if you have questions about what we are able to process or fees.

If you are in the Kansas City regional area, you can choose to drop-off your fiber and pick it up at WoolWorks, Etc which is located at 702 West Amity, Louisburg, KS 66053.  Please email the Good Shepherd Mill manager before dropping off wool.  You will be added to our wait list and we will contact you once we are within 1-2 months of being able to process it!

We are happy to process fiber from anywhere in the continuous US.  Our mill is located in Cleveland, Missouri.  Once you email us and we are ready for your fiber, we will send you our shipping address so that you can send your fiber our way.