Affordable Kilts from BC, Canada

[Chris in a Kilt]

Hi,

Has anyone here experience with Affordablekilts.com?

I’m looking for an inexpencive kilt for everyday wear.

Looking for 8 yards in the “Herritage of Scitland” tartan,
the kilt should be easy to clean, comfortable to wear in the
summer.

[Steve Ashton]

I happen to have met these folks on a couple of occasions.

Here is some information.

They are not a brick and mortar shop and not kiltmakers. They are resellers of products produced in the Middle East. They carry many of the same products you see elsewhere.

Read the product descriptions carefully and fully. You may notice that many of the photos on their site are the same you can see elsewhere.

The Heritage of Scotland Tartan is one that should be under restriction, and exclusive to, the "Gold Bros." line of shops.

They were at one time invited to look at joining our other advertisers but have never responded to that invitation.
A representative of Affordable Kilts did join X Marks on the 15th of May 2017 but has not logged in since that one day and has never made a post to the forum.

[Chris in a Kilt]

Thank you for your fast answer.

Only asked about Affordable Kilts because they are from Canada.
Would save me the hassle with customs and the extra cost for the exchange.

I know I can’t get a 8 yard causual kilt made in Canada, USA or Scotland for around $ 100 to $ 150.

As for the “Herritage of Scotland” tartan, I love the deep blue colour, it’s one of my favourite colours.
In the price range I’m looking for there aren't many tartan to choose from.

May be someone here can give me an idea, where I could get a 8 yard casual kilt (13oz) for around $ 150 for everyday wear, easy to keep clean.

[Manu]

For $150 you are pretty much going to be limited to what Steve described above. I believe Stillwater Kilts (advertiser on this forum) has wool kilts in your price range in their heavy weight category. I'm sure someone can provide more info on the quality and feel of those kilts. My first kilt was one of their acrylic models from back in 2004, and while thy serve their purpose, I quickly moved on to made-to-measure PV kilts, which USA Kilts and Freedom Kilts (In Canada) can make for you for only a few extra bucks than the Stillwater Wool kilts. Hope this helps!

[Father Bill]

We're pussy-footing around the elephant in the room.

If you want to buy Canadian, the fellow who gave you that first review and advice was modest and kind enough not to mention that he's a premier kilt-maker in British Columbia. That's Steve; he is Freedom Kilts in Victoria, and he's avoiding touting himself because in addition to being a gentleman, he's also the owner of this forum and never uses that position to advance his own business interests.

Integrity.

Not sure what he could do for you in the range you're asking about, but for a few bucks more, you'll get incomparable quality. I've stood in his shop and watched him work the magic. Contact through the advertising link above.

[Steve Ashton]

I posted my comments above, not as the kiltmaker to Freedom Kilt, but as the owner of X Marks, on purpose.

To make an informed decision on a kilt purchase you need good information, and you need all the information. And that is the purpose of X Marks.

To anyone who has ever walked into a fabric store can tell you, fabric comes in about every quality and price range imaginable. Kilt fabric is on the high quality and high price end of the spectrum. And for good reason.

If the fabric is wool it is of good quality wool. Worsted and tightly spun. It is woven very tight and if woven in a Tartan pattern, woven with care to insure the pattern is reproduced accuratly.

If woven of synthetic fibers it is also a very high quality fabric. The fabric is woven so that no turned up hem is necessary, and it will be able to be machine washed and dried over and over without pilling or losing its shape or the hard crease edges.

All this care, and its assocated higher cost, is to provide a fabric which will be able to be made into a quality kilt that will fit well, swish well and retain its famous look for many years of use.

Can fabric be made less expensivly? Well yes, and if the bottom dollar is your only criteria there are fabrics out there which are very inexpensive.

The materials that go into making a kilt are one half of the entire cost of the garment. The outer fabric you see, the thread, the straps and buckles, the liner, and if a traditional kilt the interfacings and stabilizers.

It takes 4 yards of double-width fabric to make an 8 yard kilt. If anyone would care to walk into their local fabric store and price fabric they will find the cost of good quality fabric to be somewhere between $25.00 and $75.00 per yard or $100.00 and $300.00 for enough fabric to kake a kilt.

Then there is the labor to put it all together.
I can tell you from expeience that it takes more than an hour to sew a kilt.
Ask yourself what your hourly wage is at your job. Then let's say, just to keep everything easy, that it takes three - 8 hour days of sewing. Multiple your hourly wage by 24.

With this information ask yourself how someone can offer a kilt for less than $100.00?

Quite simply, they have to find some a place that can produce fabric as inexpensivly, per yard, as they can and a place with an hourly wage as low as possible. They then have to have the garment made as quickly as possible so that by the time it is shipped to the wearer the total is low enough so everyome in the supply chain can make some money. (don't forget the FedEx guy that ships it to you)

Material cost + hourly wage + number of hours + shipping = final price.

The above does not take into account the cost to keep a shop open as the company asked about does not have a shop.

And this is exactly why I did not offer my own product. With the price per yard that my suppliers charge me for fabric - Plus a working wage for the time to make it - I am simlpy outside the stated $100.00-$150.00 range.

This is the type of information people need to be able to make an informed decision about where the will spend their hard earned money..

[Chris in a Kilt]

Hi Steve,

Thank you for your post, it’s very interesting to read.

I knew the kilt I looked at wasn’t made in Canada, that it had to come frome the middle east.

The most important part of the kilt I want to buy is, that I can clean it at home, don’t have to worry to get it dirty.

I appreciate it very much that you responded here as member/owner of the forum and not as kilt maker.

[Mike S]

Hi Steve,

Thank you for your post, it’s very interesting to read.

I knew the kilt I looked at wasn’t made in Canada, that it had to come frome the middle east.

The most important part of the kilt I want to buy is, that I can clean it at home, don’t have to worry to get it dirty.

I appreciate it very much that you responded here as member/owner of the forum and not as kilt maker.

A bit east of the Middle East actually. Most of these lower priced kilts come from Asia, specifically Sialkot, Punjab, Pakistan.

[Taskr]

Great post., Steve, on value for money.

Chris, I had a mentor back a decade or so ago who told me something that stuck, "those of us without much money cannot afford to buy cheap things". Cheap, or course means cheap as in materials and workmanship for any item; clothes to furniture.

Now, we certainly can't all afford expensive things, but we do want value when finding what we are looking for. You are looking for a kilt that you can wear every day and wash yourself. Along with everyday wear, washing causes wear on material. Inferior material and workmanship will degrade more quickly each time the kilt is worn and washed. A cheap kilt might not put up with the wear and washing you intend it for. And so when it starts to pill, thin, or come apart you will buy another, and another.. until after some frustration and all of the expense of replacing cheap kilt with cheap kilt you get something that meets your value requirement. [as you could say for any article of clothing]

I don't like spending money either, but I've never forgotten that sage advice. I have had a $100-150 kilt in my hands. it was meh <shrugs shoulders>. I bought a very well made off-the-rack PV kilt from a reputable maker for those many knock-about days in a kilt. Not only does it look like a "real" kilt in the way it hangs a sways (it gets as many compliments as my 8yd wool), I don't mind if I spill my coffee or whatever because it goes into the wash, and takes only a pressing touch-up to be back in fine form. Did it cost more than $100 - yes, about three times more. Will it outlast a $100 kilt based on how I want to and will wear it - absolutely, I estimate at least 10 times longer. That meets my value for money threshold.

[Chris in a Kilt]

Great post., Steve, on value for money.

Chris, I had a mentor back a decade or so ago who told me something that stuck, "those of us without much money cannot afford to buy cheap things"

Thank you for your post Taskr, you had a very good mentor, just remeinded me at my mom, she always said “Cheap will be more expensive in the end”.

All the posts here in my thread brought me to the comclusion i need a very well made p/v kilt, and after I watched some of Steves videos on youtube I knew he is the one making my new kilt, I love the way he build in some hidden pockets, they make the kilt just an everyday garment. I will just to have to wait a little longer before I can order from him.