The North American Alpaca Fiber Co-op
The NAAFP is a cost-based Agricultural Co-op, designed to provide fiber sorting, grading, and finished products for Alpaca fiber producers across the nation.  "Cost-based" means the producer maintains ownership of their fiber throughout the process, and is responsible for their portion of the shipping and processing costs.  As a result, they do not need to purchase products after processing, because they already own their portion of the run. 

The main goal for the co-op is to provide an opportunity for Alpaca fiber producers to profit from their annual crop harvest (shorn fleece from their animals).  Co-op members have the added benefit of sharing shipping and processing costs with other members.  Economies of Scale significantly reduce member's costs and increase their profitability.

Certified Sorted Fiber™
The NAAFP accepts only Certified Sorted Fiber™ for processing in the Co-op.  Certified Sorted Fiber™  is produced when a properly trained and certified sorter seperates your fiber into bins containing other fiber of similar grade and color for processing.  Sorting provides more usable fiber after shearing, and limits your losses in processing to a very low rate.  The producer (Alpaca owner) also benefits from access to cost sharing with other members, for shipping and processing the fiber into yarn or finished products. 

Certified Sorted Fiber™ results in superior products.  The act of blending very similar fibers together to produce yarn or garments, makes a more uniform product without the winging out, shedding, or poor dye take up found in unsorted fiber processes.