The Mohair Market Navigator is a specialized decision-support tool designed specifically for Angora goat producers. It bridges the gap between the shearing barn and the marketplace, helping you answer the critical question: “What is the most profitable way to sell my fiber?”
Whether you are a hobbyist with three goats or a commercial producer with a large herd, this app analyzes your specific fiber metrics against current market conditions to help you make data-driven business decisions.
Key Benefits
- Maximize Profit Margins: Instantly compare the profitability of selling raw fiber versus value-added products (like washed fiber, roving, or yarn).
- Real-Time Market Intelligence: Access up-to-date pricing estimates for various grades of Mohair without spending hours searching the web.
- Accurate Cost Analysis: Factor in your actual labor rates, consumable costs, and shipping fees to see your true net profit, not just revenue.
- AI-Powered Strategy: Leverage Google Gemini AI to generate custom marketing plans, listing descriptions, and sales strategies tailored to your location and fiber grade.
- Educational Resources: Access built-in guides for grading fiber and home processing techniques.
How to Use the App
1. The Profitability Calculator
This is the heart of the application. It performs complex calculations to compare six different selling scenarios simultaneously.
- Step 1: Enter Fiber Details
- Grease Mohair Weight: Enter the total weight of your raw clip (in lbs or oz).
- Mohair Grade: Select the grade (e.g., Kid, Yearling, Adult). This is crucial as it determines the market value and processing yields.
- Processing Goal: Select what you intend to do (e.g., "Home Process & Sell Yarn"). This highlights your target scenario in the results.
- Step 2: Customize Your Data (Optional but Recommended)
- Custom Selling Prices: If you already have a buyer or a set price list, expand this section to override the default market averages.
- Detailed Home Processing Costs: Expand this to input your specific Labor Rate ($/hr) and the time it takes you to skirt, wash, or spin. This is vital for calculating if your time is being valued correctly.
- Shipping Costs: Factor in the cost of shipping raw wool to a mill or finished products to customers.
- Step 3: Analyze Results
- The Results Panel on the right displays cards for every stage of processing (Raw, Washed, Picked, Roving, Yarn, and Mill Processed).
- Look for the "Most Profitable" badge to see which method yields the highest net return.
- Click "Details" on any card to see a breakdown of yields (weight loss during processing) and specific cost notes.
- Step 4: Mill Comparison
- In the "Send to Fiber Mill" card result, check the boxes for services (Wash, Card, Spin) to see if paying a mill is more profitable than doing the work yourself.
2. Market Price Tracker
Located in the "Information & Guides" section, this tool uses AI to scan the market for current pricing trends.
- Live Data: Prices are refreshed every 4 hours to reflect current market conditions.
- Trend Indicators: Green arrows indicate prices are rising, red arrows indicate a drop.
- Deep Dive: Click "Details & Sources" on any price point to see where the data came from (e.g., Etsy, Auctions) and read a brief insight on why the market is moving that way.
3. AI Sales & Market Advisors
The app features two powerful AI agents to help you sell your product.
- Sales Advisor (Strategy):
- Select a product type (e.g., "Washed Mohair").
- Click "Get My Sales Plan."
- The AI will generate a marketing strategy including where to sell (Etsy, Ravelry, etc.), SEO keywords for your listings, and photography tips. Note: If you allow location access, it will suggest local venues or guilds near you.
- Market Advisor (Analysis):
- Found in the bottom section, this tool looks at your specific inputs (Weight + Grade).
- Click "Generate Advice" to get a high-level overview of the global demand for your specific type of fiber and whether you should hold it or sell it now.
4. Reference Guides
- Mohair Grade Identifier: A quick reference chart correlating fiber labels (Kid vs. Adult) to micron counts.
- Home Processing Guide: Step-by-step instructions for Skirting, Washing, and Carding, helping you maintain quality control if you choose to process at home.
- Fiber Mill Directory: A curated list of reputable mills that handle Mohair.
Best Practices for Success
- Be Honest About Labor: When using the calculator, input a realistic labor rate (e.g., $15/hr). You might find that while selling Yarn brings more revenue, selling Raw Fiber brings more profit per hour of work.
- Check the Cache: If the Market Price Tracker says "Unable to load," use the "Refresh Browser" button to clear the cache and fetch fresh data.
- Experiment: Use the calculator to run "What If" scenarios. What if I raise my yarn price by $5? What if I send it to a mill instead of washing it in the bathtub?
"Ready to optimize your fiber sales? Access the full Mohair Market Navigator anytime at mohairnavigator.com." or use the button below.
Mohar Navigator