Fleece Skirting Support Program
Maine Fibershed logs the breeds and weight of well-skirted fleece to better help our farmers make connections with the buying public, whether individuals or textile manufacturers. This is an opportunity for the community to come together to help our farmers realize income quicker and for experienced teachers to pass along their knowledge.
Please contact us if you wish to be part of the program at info@mainefibershed.com.
Maine Fibershed’s Shearing Support program is the first part of an initiative begun in 2025 to explore a broader market opportunity for Maine fiber in textile production and commercial products.
This program, which was inspired by a business break-out session at Maine Fibershed’s first annual meeting in June 2025, has begun to take tangible form with outreach to and response from New England textile manufacturers who want a Maine wool line of products.
Maine Fibershed’s Fleece Skirting Support Program teaches the community how to help farmers skirt fleece for commercial processing of woven textiles and felted fabric, fiber festival fleece tents, and individual purchases by home spinners and felters.
After shearing, properly skirted fleece is the most important part of preparing for high-quality fiber. If a fleece is sent to a mill with short, stiff fibers and VM (vegetative matter) that’s what will be returned as yarn or roving, unless the mill rejects it outright.
After the celebratory fleece fling, experienced teachers guide class attendees in how to skirt, bag, weigh and tag fleece. A fully-skirted fleece results in premium yarn or roving and is necessary to keep farmer’s costs down at the processing mill.
This is a community effort that is steeped in the joy of gathering to help our neighbors, meet new people, and develop a deep appreciation for local yarn and roving. Discarded portions, known as waste wool, are collected for fertilizer or compost.
Once trained, attendees can be added to a list of people available to help farmers during shearing season.
Special Thanks: This program is modeled after the successful venture of the Vancouver Island Fibreshed, who graciously provided their processes and data sheets for us to customize for the Maine market. We would also like to thank the CT Sheep and Wool Association for sharing their resources and time in helping us formulate a better business plan.
If you are a teacher/farmer who would like to teach a class, please email info@mainefibershed.com. We will trial the program through the final shear of 2026.
