NASHVILLE, Tenn. — 'The Natural Fiber Extravaganza' is returning to Middle Tennessee this weekend.
Karl Heinrich is the owner of New Era Fiber & Long Hollow Suri Alpacas in Gallatin, Tennessee.
They raise alpacas on the farm, process fiber from all over the world, and now produce whole garments in 3D (no seams, no cutting, or sewing). All done on one machine.
Heinrich says 'The Natural Fiber Extravaganza' helps showcase their work, networks industry insiders, and helps educate the general public.
It's sponsored in part by 10 US fiber mills and the Alpaca Owners Association, the largest in the world with 5,000 members and more than 250,000 alpacas.
"We've been losing textile production for years and years and finally in the last decade it's slowly started to move back into the US," he said.
The fiber festivities kick off Friday at the Wilson County Exposition Center in Lebanon, TN.
The conference will take place July 19 - 21, 2019. Alpaca product vendors will be open to the public on Friday, July 19 and Saturday, July 20 from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sunday, July 21 from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
The show is free to the public and will feature:
- Dozens of vendors selling a variety of items
- Alpaca Yoga (free to the public Friday 9 – 10 a.m. and Saturday 9 – 10 a.m. and 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. Register at www.FiberExtravaganza.com) The class is free and open to the first 50 participants to arrive. To reserve a spot, call (402) 437-8484
- Alpaca Selfie Booth (Free to the public Friday and Saturday 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.)
- Free Knitting Circle
- Hands-on Workshops
- Children’s Activities
- Fleece, Fiber and Farm Seminars
- Livestock Business Seminars
- AOA Annual Meeting
- Photo Contest Display
- Student Design Competition Winners’ Display
- National Fleece Show
