Fiber Fusion Northwest
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    • *NEW* Featured Breed - 'Dorset Sheep'
      • *NEW* Dorset Sheep to Sock!
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        • Advertise in our Event Guide
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Fleece Show Judge 2019

​Allan Mattson

   I first started working in the wool industry in the fellmongery of the Waitaki NZR plant in Picton New Zealand, where I spent 10 years learning the trade. Looking to return to the Pacific Northwest, I sent my resume to all the wool companies in the Portland Oregon area. In June of 1987 I was hired by the Columbia Wool Scouring Mill in Portland Oregon.

   My first 18 months at Columbia Wool, I was apprenticed to John Witten who had been the head wool grader for many years. In the late 1980s early 1990s we were grading over 2 million pounds of grease wool per year. We were making 72 distinct grades of wool based on fiber diameter, length, strength, color, etc. In the mid 90s the ASI started the wool classing program. It was here that classers were taught to class the wool in the field prior to sending the wool to market. This seriously cut the need for each woolen mill to have its own grading floor.

   With the downturn in the amount of time I spent grading, I took on the role of quality control. I became the expert for all raw wool used by Pendleton Woolen Mills. My responsibilities include inspecting all raw wool at the door before purchase and all scoured lots before use. Presently we buy and process 1.4 million pounds of wool from ranches and farmers of America annually, and over 1 million pounds of scoured wool from foreign sources. At any given time, we will have 6-800,00 of wool stored at Columbia. On average we ship around 165,00 pounds of wool per month to the main Pendleton plant in Washougal Washington. 

   So far I have over 42 years in the wool industry. I have had the pleasure of judging wool at the Clark County (Wa), Multnomah (Or), and Clackamas (Or) county fairs, the Evergreen State Fair, The Montana State Fair, and the Washington State Fair.
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Fiber Fusion Northwest is hosted by
North Sound Alpaca Association (NSAA)
a 501(c)5 Agricultural Education and Outreach organization

You can reach us at info@fiberfusion.net or by mail at
Fiber Fusion Northwest, c/o NSAA
PO Box 1131, Stanwood, WA 98292​.
​Copyright © 2022 Fiber Fusion
  • Home
  • About
    • What is Fiber Fusion
    • Location & Driving Directions
    • Food & Lodging - Onsite
    • Food & Lodging - Offsite
    • Safe Space
    • Covid Policies
  • News
  • 2023 Event
    • *NEW* Featured Breed - 'Dorset Sheep'
      • *NEW* Dorset Sheep to Sock!
    • Schedule of Events
    • Event Guide 2023
      • Advertise in our Event Guide
    • Vendor Info 2023
      • Vendor List 2023
      • New Vendor Jury Entry 2023
    • Demonstrations
    • Fiber Arts Show 2023
    • Live Fiber Animal Exhibit
    • and more...
  • Past Events
    • 2022 Event
      • Schedule of Events
      • Event Guide 2022
        • Advertise in our Event Guide
      • Vendor Info 2022
        • Vendor List 2022
      • Class Info 2022
        • Class Instructors 2022
      • Demonstrations
      • Fleece 2022
        • Fleece Show 2022
          • Fleece Show Judge 2022
      • Used Equipment Market Place 2022
      • Fiber Arts Show 2022
      • Live Fiber Animal Exhibit
      • and more...
    • 2019 Event Information
      • Schedule of Events 2019
      • Vendor List 2019
        • Vendor Info 2019
      • Classes 2019
        • Our Instructors 2019
      • Fleece 2019
        • Fleece Show Judge 2019
      • Used Equipment Market Place 2019
      • Live Fiber Animal Exhibit 2019
      • and more... (2019)
    • Historical Pages
  • Support Fiber Fusion
    • Volunteer
    • Our Sponsors
      • Become a Sponsor - 2023
      • Founding Sponsor Special Offer
    • Fundraiser
    • Donate
  • Contact Us