My order from Lochcarron arrived

[Troglodyte]

After an unpleasant experience ordering wool in the USA and receiving synthetic instead, I decided to buy directly from Lochcarron.
After placing my order, I chuckled when the tracking information said it would be delivered in 3 days. "Not a chance", I thought. That's how long it takes to get most packages delivered from a nearby state!
To my disbelief, 66.7 hours after ordering, my package was delivered.
The fabric is fantastic! I'll definitely be purchasing from them again in the future.

Thanks, Lochcarron!

As a frequent sender from Scotland to the USA, I would say your experience is on the quick side of normal - three to five working days is the Royal Mail advised delay, and their partnership with USPS is efficient. US Customs is where the delays usually occur.

Lochcarron cloth is excellent in every way - what did you order? Is it a kilt? Opting for wool instead of man-made is a decision you will never regret. Personally, I am puzzled by the popularity of synthetic materials, especially kiltings, when wool is superior in every way, including being environmentally sound and culturally authentic.

You must keep us all updated with how your new purchase stands-up to being worn in action, as what you say is encouragement to everyone.

[OC Richard]

Congratulations!!

IMHO there's no substitute for wool traditional kilting cloth.

When I started wearing kilts a half-century ago there was nothing else. There were no "casual kilts" or "utility kilts" or "sports kilts", there was no poly-viscose tartan fabric.

A kilt was a kilt, a handstitched thing made of traditional wool kilting cloth. Nothing that's come along over the last 50 years has enticed me away from those.

[OC Richard]

I am puzzled by the popularity of synthetic materials, especially kiltings, when wool is superior in every way, including being environmentally sound and culturally authentic.

I'm puzzled too.

[MacKenzie]

I'm puzzled too.

Cost?

At USA Kilts, for example, 11-12 oz. PV is $30 cheaper per yard than 11 oz. wool (Black Watch) or $150 less for the tartan for a 5 yd. kilt.

[Troglodyte]

Cost?

At USA Kilts, for example, 11-12 oz. PV is $30 cheaper per yard than 11 oz. wool (Black Watch) or $150 less for the tartan for a 5 yd. kilt.

Cost is a major consideration, certainly.

But price is not the same thing as value..!

As a good quality kilt will last several lifetimes, the ititial cost is very quickly mitigated by the number of times its gets worn and how long it lasts. I have no experience of PV kilts (other than those seen hanging outside the shops on the Royal Mile) but my recommendation would always be for the genuine article. A cheap substitute will always be just that, I feel.

[MacKenzie]

But price is not the same thing as value..!

As a good quality kilt will last several lifetimes, the ititial cost is very quickly mitigated by the number of times its gets worn and how long it lasts. I have no experience of PV kilts (other than those seen hanging outside the shops on the Royal Mile) but my recommendation would always be for the genuine article. A cheap substitute will always be just that, I feel.

Agree with everything you said caveman. I'm in the "buy once, cry once" camp myself, and have been fortunate enough to be able to do so for most of my life. But an eon ago $150 was a lot of money.

[User]

...
Lochcarron cloth is excellent in every way - what did you order? Is it a kilt? Opting for wool instead of man-made is a decision you will never regret. Personally, I am puzzled by the popularity of synthetic materials, especially kiltings, when wool is superior in every way, including being environmentally sound and culturally authentic.
...

I ordered tartan cloth from Lochcarron, and I'll be sewing the kilt myself.
While I was trying to decide what kilt I wanted, I became increasingly interested in all aspects of the kilt. I realized that sewing the kilt myself would be the best way to satisfy my curiosity, and give me a greater sense of connection to the kilt as opposed to if I bought it from someone else.

[jsrnephdoc]

I ordered tartan cloth from Lochcarron, and I'll be sewing the kilt myself.
While I was trying to decide what kilt I wanted, I became increasingly interested in all aspects of the kilt. I realized that sewing the kilt myself would be the best way to satisfy my curiosity, and give me a greater sense of connection to the kilt as opposed to if I bought it from someone else.

If you don't have it, I'd advise you to buy Barb Tewksbury's book (The Art of Kiltmaking). In it's current (3rd) printing, color plates have been replaced by B/W, but there's a link to download the color images, and the book (available from Amazon, or The Celtic Croft, or from Barb herself) is much cheaper in monochrome. Her kilts are made entirely by hand and are exquisite.

[SF Jeff]

I'm a little late to this thread so I'll cover some of the several topics that have been raised in one shot.

1. Lochcarron: Two of my three kilts are Lochcarron wool (the third is a mystery) and I find it to be of high quality and I have no complaints. The OP will feel the same I'm sure. I'm considering a new kilt in a tartan that, as far as I know, is only spun by HoE in 13oz wool. If I do go ahead, it will be interesting to compare it to the Lochcarron wool.

2. PV kilts: Not interested. Perhaps if I participated in heavy athletics, but otherwise, no. I also don't judge anyone who goes this route, especially if it's for financial reasons; you do what you can do.

3. Casual kilts: All three of my kilts are casual kilts. 5-6 yards of 13 oz wool, machine sewn, and they work just fine for me. I'm not sure a 16oz 9 yard tank hanging on my skinny waist would look good or even be practical. I essentially have no hips and that's a lot of weight and fabric to hang from my waist with no hip support.

4. Bargains: They're out there, you just need to look. My first kilt was an incredible bargain. Custom made kilt that the buyer had paid for and never picked up. The retailer just wanted to get rid of it (it being an uncommon size) and I got it for $100 USD. It is well made, fits well, and has picked up a stain here and there and moth hole or two along the way, but I like these battle scars and in a sentimental way it's my favorite kilt.

5. 38R's are everywhere: I guess I need to look a little harder. I'm a 38 R/L (depends on the manufacturer) and I don't see them too often. Most everything is 40 or above. That being said, I did score a deal on Etsy for a 38R tweed kilt jacket in near perfect condition. Probably vintage late 60's or early 70's judging by the design of the label sewn inside. $75 USD included shipping from the UK.

6. Speaking of shipping... A few years ago I ordered lederhose from a shop in Vienna. I put the order in Sunday night (monday morning their time) and Fedex delivered it Thursday afternoon. And that was not expedited shipping. I also recently ordered from Kinnaird in Canada and got the package in four days, and Canada Post is not known for their speed, especially when the US is the destination. The above mentioned jacket from the UK also got to my local post office quickly, but they sat on it for 5 days before delivering it.

7. HoE Argylls in peat etc... They are everywhere now. It seems to me that many highland wear retailers are now carrying HoE jackets and vests as their default offering, whereas before it was Gaelic Themes. I might be wrong on this though, because I spend more time on piping supply websites and they're all about Gaelic Themes apparel, maybe because the lower cost appeals to bands. But I might be wrong on this also.

That's all. Carry on...

[jsrnephdoc]

One difference between Lochcarron and House of Edgar is that fabric from HoE is coated in Teflon (making it stain repelling).

If you're in or near SF, a visit to Wm Glen & Son might be fun. They do Scots Whisky tastings as well as offering made to measure kilts using cloth from pretty much all the premier mills in Scotland. I don't know whether they sew them themselves or import them from a house that sews them in the UK.

Regarding the yardage of cloth in your kilts: one thing I like about St. Kilda kilts is that they actually indicate approximately how many yards of fabric are required for a kilt, based on body size (and incrementally priced accordingly).