Fleece is the wooly fiber obtained from the external coating of sheep. The fleece is collected through a process called shearing, during which the fleece is carefully cut off of the sheep. The fleece is then skirted to get rid of less desirable areas such as the belly, leg, face and head.
Once ready, the fleece can be spun into yarn which can be knitted into clothing or woven into fabrics for apparel, blankets, etc. Many hobbyists and small business owners purchase sheep fleece for spinning and knitting projects.
If you are planning to ship raw fleece, hear are some tips on how to properly pack this bulky item and ensure that it arrives in good condition.
The best way to fit a fleece or several fleeces in a box and cut shipping costs is to vacuum pack the items.
Place each fleece in a suitable plastic bag and suck out the air with a vacuum cleaner. Make sure the the bags you are using do not have holes on them or this technique will not work.
To prevent parts of the fleece from getting sucked by the vacuum cleaner, place a 5″ X 5″ piece of card stock on the top of the fleece and position the nozzle of the vacuum on the card when you are sucking the air out of the bag. Also gather the plastic bag tightly around the nozzle to prevent more air from getting inside the bag.
Re-position the nozzle to get the maximum amount of air removed from the bag. This technique can shrink the fleece into 1/4 its original size. Use a twisty tie to close the bag tightly. Vacuum packing will not harm the fleece, and can be left in this compact state for months.
Once vacuum packed, the bags of fleece can be placed in sturdy cardboard box. Do not include any sharp or pointed item inside the package that may puncture the bags. Use packing materials such as bubble wrap or packing peanuts to keep the bags of fleece from shifting inside the box.
Seal the package with packaging tape including the bottom flaps. Address and label the box and take to your local post office or shipping company.