Armidale teen exports Alpaca fleeces, cushions

Eighteen-year-old Rianna Feenstra, with help from her mother, is using online marketplace Etsy to sell their cushions, fleeces, felted soaps and dryer balls.

They’ve even partnered with other wool producers – Alpacas and sheep – to sell their fleeces. The family bought Alpacas when they moved from Newcastle to Armidale about 18 months ago.

“They look cute and seemed easier to manage than some other animals, so we have six Alpacas and two sheep on five acres,” Robyn said.

Rianna, who studied art at school and had sewed in the past, soon realised she could get creative with the fleece. She had experience running her own business after teaching piano in Newcastle.

“We bought the Alpacas thinking they'd be pets and to keep the grass down, but when they were shorn I started experimenting with the fleece. The felted soap we made from Alpaca felt went to Germany and cushions have gone all over the world too.”

Rianna has started marketing fleeces to the craft market, with strong demand from the United States.

“We've started a business deal with the people from Kentucky Green Gully – we bought our Alpacas from them, and they shear our Alpacas – to sell some of their fleece online. Now we’ve expanded that to sell sheep fleece from some of the farms around Armidale.”

Using Etsy has allowed the Feenstras to market their products without high overheads. Rianna also sells products at the Walcha Farmers Market.

“It’s already a big platform which makes it easier than setting up our own website, and we made our first sale very first night we went online. I also use Facebook and Instagram to promote the business and link back to the store.”

Rianna has now decided to study marketing and agribusiness at university.

“​I’ve got to know some of the fine woolgrowers, and I’d like to keep my little business, but work in the wider wool industry.”