I have been spinning for over 20 years and raising and selling wool and sheep for over 15 of those years. I would like to pass on some helpful information as guidelines when purchasing a raw fleece or raw wool straight off the sheep.  Here are some questions to ask about purchasing a fleece from a seller on eBay.

First read very carefully the seller's description.  Was the fleece coated? (Did the sheep or other fiber animal wear a coat all year long to protect the fleece from dirt?) Does the seller mention any VM (vegetable matter) that is in the fleece?  Did the seller skirt the tags and belly wool and other undesirable parts off before weighing it and offering it for sale?  What breed of sheep is it and how old is the sheep that the wool came from? 

Second, don't be afraid to ask the seller questions if the above aren't mentioned in the seller's description.  A good seller won't mind the questions, but will be happy you have asked.  If you can get a sample of the wool sent to you, great!  Offer to mail them a SASE for a sample of the fleece if possible.  If you get the sample, then you need to look at a group of fibers about the diameter of a #2 pencil lead.  Then put the fibers up to your ear and gently pull on the fibers and listen for any crackling type of noise.  The crackling noise tells you the fibers are slightly brittle.  Also at this time if the fibers separate or break apart, it says you have a wool break in the fleece.  Now any fleece will break if you pull hard enough!  You only want to exert about 5-10 pounds of pull on the lock of wool.  Fleeces that have wool breaks in the will not make high quality yarns, but they are great for felting.  Then take the sample of the wool and rinse under cold water for a minute.  Now take a look at the wet wool.  If it is a white fleece, is it really white or is it yellow.  If it is yellow, it won't get any whiter.  Yellow stained fleeces are great for dyeing but they won't give you white yarn only cream colored yarn.  Also, look at the washed wool, most of the dirt should of come out of the lock just with the cold water.  Dry the lock and try spinning it.  Is it what you want? 

Third, ask about the VM in the fleece and what type it is.  If it is straw or alfalfa it will fall out when you wash and card the fleece.  If there are burrs or stickers in the fleece, they will stay there till you pick them out by hand one at a time.  I have never seen even a coated fleece with no VM, as fiber animals seem to figure out a way to get some in their fleece no matter what you do.  A good seller will heavily skirt the fleece and take out any heavily soiled areas.

Fourth, read the sellers feedback from other buyers who have purchased fleece from this seller.  Were they happy with their purchase?  Ask the seller if they will stand behind their fleeces and if you do accidentally get a fleece that has a wool break in it or too much VM, what their return policy is.  Remember, most sellers want you to be happy with what you have purchased so you will buy from them again and tell your friends about them.  But if the seller has stated in their auction, there is a wool break or yellow in the fleece or lots of VM, don't expect them to let you return a fleece with a problem they have already stated in their auction.  That is why it is important to read the description over very carefully and ask as many questions as you need of the seller before you make your fleece purchase.  Remember, if the seller has kept a coat on the animal all year long, that fleece will cost a lot more per pound than an uncoated fleece.  A rare breed sheep or popular sheep fleece will also cost more than a common or crossbreed fleece. 

Fifth, when buying fleeces always remember there are exceptions to the above rules.  I have purchased fleeces with stickers in them as it was a rare breed sheep fleece and I had to have it, but couldn't afford a more expensive one that didn't have stickers in it.  I have also purchased fleeces with wool breaks, as you can get them cheap and they work out great for felting.

Please email me if you have questions, or if something is unclear in this guide so I can update it.  Thank EWE!