Made in Scotland kilts, shipping, taxes and third party vendors

[George T Logan Jr]

The lower end of the market for all things being supplied to the US has just about collapsed due to the removal of the exemption at the end of August, now everything is in the system.

Spare parts for knitting machines, patterns, garments, even samples have all lost the exemption - I just got a load of linen fabric after an order was cancelled that had been ongoing for years, regular as clockwork, as the business in the US expected the tariff and fees to be paid by the seller with no increase in price - then cancelled when that was refused.

The workshop is closed, sewing machines sold and everything cleared out so there is no going back to what it was.

Goods for export from the UK are zero rated for VAT but can be charged whatever the importing country decides to impose in the way of tariffs, duty, or fees when they arrive.

Anne the Pleater

Thank You for a thoughtful and thorough explanation. I had wondered how the tariff madness would impact the Kilt manufacturers and their economies. This is horrible news. How many businesses, how much knowledge and experience has now been lost? And to benefit no one. Now, I may have waited too long and my chance to finally proudly display my Scots Heritage to the world is in deep jeopardy, my caution and wanting to do it correctly, may have just cost me the opportunity.

Thank You Anne the Pleater

Sincerely,
George Logan

[George T Logan Jr]

There are kiltmakers here in the USA making wool kilts. They typically use Locharron, House of Edgar, or Marton Mills as the supplier for the Tartan cloth. I don't believe there are any USA-based weavers making Tartan anymore (Pendleton wove nice wool Tartans back in the 1980s)

I have been looking at a couple of companies in the USA, and Locharron in 16oz is my choice, possibly HOE, so I may yet be okay. I am sorry to hear that part of the Kiltmaking Industry is suffering. I worry that when a community shrinks, then so does competition and quality.. I suppose that we shall see!
Thank You for your reply
George Logan

[ShaunMaxwell]

Purely out of interest, are you talking about kilts made from wool, or, are you talking about kilts made from synthetic cloth?

Jock:

I was talking about kilts made from wool. But I suppose that woolen tartan would have to be imported, as would the best synthetic tartan (Marton Mills), so I guess it's unlikely that a person in the US, working with a US-based kiltmaker, would be unable to escape some degree of tariff, even without having to pay VAT.

Cheers,

SM

[Pleater]

Goods valued under about 500 UK pounds could be sent to the US pretty easily before September this year, so the fabric for a kilt, a jacket or a cape or a top notch overcoat could be posted free of VAT without duty to be paid on the deal.

I believe that there was a steady stream of such parcels going by airmail several times a week from many weavers - though some businesses which imported from the Continent were no longer able to obtain the same stock as before despite long associations, not after Brexit, so that did literally divide the market.

I rather lament the absence of quality Italian yarns these days. Whole containerloads of yarn were taken to the big shows and we would stagger out laden with sacks full of glorious colours. It really did affect the small scale production workers such as myself and altered what could be achieved - how it will turn out when something affects a nation the size of the US still remains to be seen but I can't see the logic behind what has been done.

Anything and everything sent to the US now has a tariff on it, plus a flat fee for collecting it - only letters without inclusions are exempt.

We can't even post a Remembrance poppy to the US without being subject to botheration.

Anne the Pleater