This year has had a huge impact on the fiber world and the world at large. With COVID-19 many countries shut down. Farms and small businesses were particularly impacted. Trade was shut down between many countries as well. I source my yarn from a company in Virginia who sources their yarn from a company in Peru. Their website has been out of stock of all of my usual bases for months. I was able to get one order of Smooth Sock in a couple weeks ago and I was just able to put in an order for some more of my new base Swirl Fingering!
Because it will be somewhat difficult to get new blank stock, I will be moving to dyed to order for the foreseeable future. This will function the same as backorders worked previously, but with a stock quantity based on how much of each base I have available to dye.
This will be a huge help as well so I don’t have unsold inventory and can maximize my resources for the moment. I had three different fiber festivals on schedule this year and all three canceled. In hindsight there is a silver lining that I’ve been able to focus on my new baby. I usually dye a large amount of product for fiber festivals. Without the need to do that this year I can see how this dye to order process works out.
I have increased my order processing window to accommodate the need to dye orders as they come in. However, I imagine I should still be able to process orders and have them shipped fairly quickly. Another consideration is the current state of the United States Postal Service. I have not raised my shipping prices to reflect the increase in the cost of shipping in the last couple years and I don’t plan to raise it now. Orders may take somewhat longer to be delivered however once shipped.
Please reach out if you have any questions or concerns about the dye to order process. I’m happy to chat about colorways and bases to help you find the perfect selection for your projects.
Happy crafting!