SDC Call for Material Donations

Material Donation Form

The future of the alpaca industry is dependent upon increasing the use of alpaca fleece throughout the world. The more alpaca is used in clothing and other products the more demand there will be for alpaca fleece and the animals that produce that fleece.

Encouraging the use of alpaca in fashion starts with design students. It is imperative that we work to build interest, desire, and passion for alpaca in the college-level fashion and textile students of today who will be the designers of tomorrow. To that end, the AOA Fiber and Fiber Products Committee is currently planning the 16th annual student design competition. For the 13th consecutive year, Ruth Fuqua will be coordinating the program. We need all hands on deck to support this important competition. In the coming months, we will be asking for financial support to help cover the students’ costs, but at this time, we need to gather samples of yarn and fabric so that sample kits can be sent to instructors at the colleges and universities in January and early February 2019. Many thanks to those who have donated materials in prior years, but the stash is nearly empty once again!

We are in need of donations that can include any amounts of yarn or woven, felted, knitted, or crocheted fabric as long as it is at least 50% alpaca fiber. Suggestions include:

  • leftover yarns from projects, mill end samples, spin-off entry samples
  • swatches of those knitting and weaving samples
  • leftover swatches from garment production
  • whatever comes out of the stash of yarn you have!
  • yarn can be any colors, any gauge, natural or dyed
  • felted, woven or knitted fabric
  • older, finished alpaca items from farm stores that you will never be able to sell (they will be cut up into usable swatches)
  • we are particularly in need of fingering and/or lace weight yarns for the textile entries on cones or in skeins

The students only need a small amount to create an entry board, but with 35 schools and more than 200 students participating, we need a lot of samples with a lot of variety! If you would be interested in supporting this important program through the donation of materials, please send them to:

Ruth Fuqua
AOA Student Design Competition
7236 Lebanon Road
Mount Juliet, TN 37122
email Ruth Fuqua

Please send whatever you can by February 1.