When you buy natural materials be prepared to look at as many different packages as you can. Hair can vary greatly from one package to the next in texture and length and amount of underfur. A grade three saddle may be mostly sizes 12 and 14 when you tie more 16 and 18 flies or vice versa. Most packages of feathers vary greatly from one to another in quality of their contents as they are sold by weight or number of feathers with little regard for size or curvature etc. Knowing how you plan to use them will let you pick the best one for you though that is made more difficult by sealed packages. To a certain extent the more expensive brands do some of this sorting for you but their idea of the best material for a given fly may not match yours. If you have to mail order them try to do so over the phone and let the supplier know what you are looking for from that material. If you find a seller who will take the time to try to match the product to your needs keep using them.