What Is ‘Made in Scotland’ Worth?

[Jock Scot]

Yet thousands of people buy kilts and sporrans in Edinburgh tat shops thinking that they're getting Scottish-made items.

I meet these people all the time. They're wanting a kilt for their upcoming event and where better to buy a genuine kilt than in Scotland? And there they are, in their wrinkly acrylic crudely machine-sewn kilt and ghastly sporran.

Unlike here in the USA, seems that in Scotland there are no laws requiring all clothing to be labelled with country of origin, a detailed breakdown of fabric content, and laundering instructions.

It's even more insidious with bagpipes. I cringe every time a new student says that they bought their bagpipe in Scotland. It's always a Pakistani bagpipe. Every one of these people think that they bought a legitimate Scottish-made pipe.

And back to the Nissan/Rolls Royce analogy, when somebody buys a Nissan they're getting an actual working vehicle. Even when somebody buys a knockoff Gucci purse they're still getting a functional purse. Not so when people buy Pakistani bagpipes, because they're not getting a functional musical instrument, but rather a nonfunctional prop, an Instrument-Shaped Object.

Ebay makes it worse because Pakistani sellers can blatantly lie, like this

https://www.ebay.com/itm/38895886949...ndition=4%7C10

Personally, I would always purchase(UK) a bespoke kilt and kilt jacket. It is not a 'snobby' thing at all, it's just that I like my kilts, suits, shotguns to fit properly. Even if I gain or loose a few pounds they still fit properly. Which is why I don't have a tartan collection in kilt form filling my wardrobe! And, a lot less expensive in the long run. So I have no personal experience of Pakistani kilt attire which is what I often, I assume, see worn when I am out and about. There is a huge difference in look between one and the other.

I am no piper, so I cannot really comment from personal experience, but your comments above about Pakistani pipes being sold here really concern me.