Camaj Fiber Arts - The Fine Side of Fiber

NEW FLEECE INSTRUCTIONS

How to avoid moth infestation

It's always a very good day when a new fleece arrives in the household.  WAIT!!  Be smart about opening that box before you introduce it to the "herd".  Here are some steps to ensure that you don't infect all that beautiful fiber you have in your stash.

Open the box outside. Lie the fleece on a table so you can get see all areas.  Inspect thoroughly for a moth infestation.  Avoid doing this inside, especially near your fiber stash.

If it has moths immediately bag it and seal it up very well.  You will see the moths, don't worry. They look like, well, moths.  It does not matter if they are dead or alive.  I bet you dollars to donuts there are moth eggs in that mass of wool.

Contact the seller immediately and let them know. Usually, they will ask you to send it back and will refund you for the purchase.  Don't be shy about letting the seller know. They need to know their wool has moths so they can correct their storage methods and prevent this in the future.    I will look on the optimistic side and say that perhaps the seller had no idea they were there.   Fleeces are put in bags and could be there for a while and not inspected by the seller.  If you are a fiber seller inspect your fibers prior to selling to avoid issues like this.

Keeping a fleece full of moths and eggs is not worth trying to salvage and potentially infect your stash. Sure you can kill them with extreme heat or cold, but not a good idea to keep the fleece.  

Here's why.  If a fleece has moths they have weakened the wool structure by munching on it.  Have you ever seen a moth-eaten sweater with holes everywhere? Yup. That's what they do to raw fiber too.  

I have done this routine with every fleece that I have gotten, and that's many, many years of fleeces.  I have never had months and I ain't gonna start now.

WOOL STORAGE

If your fleece gets the thumbs up and is free and clear of moths now is the time to store it correctly to avoid moth infestation.  I have stored my fleeces in either cotton fabric or in a cotton pillowcase then put them in a plastic tub with a tight-fitting lid.  There are many ways to store fleeces and this is one way I have had great success with.

You can store a raw fleece for a year, but I will say a scoured freshly shorn fleece is heaven.  With that said, scour as soon as you are able. 

I never use moth balls to repel moths, it's very toxic and the wool will absorb the smell.  Ew.  This is what I do.  I bought some cedar rounds and put drops of pure cedar oil on the wooden rounds and hang them in my fiber room.  Again, it has worked for me.

Comment below your favorite way to store fiber or repel moths. I would love to hear your method.