Wearing the sporran a little looser, and NOT wearing a chain helps immensely. In all the time I've worn StillWater Kilts, and as rough as I wear kilts, it has NEVER... repeat, NEVER... needed to be shaved. I wear a variety of sporrans from leather to metal-backed. Every sporran that I wear has a leather strap too.

I've never had to shave my wool kilts either. I take the same care in the sporran tension and placement with them.

The only kilt that I've EVER needed to "shave" was my Canadian Maple Leaf poly-viscose kilt... but that was from too many washings. That, again, was the Canadian provincial PV that's not the same as the Clan tartans. The pilling was due to washings BEFORE I was "hip" to the problem, and changed the washing habits.

I truly believe that the ONLY kilts I own that have zero problems are my 16-ounce wool ones. I guess the traditional kiltmakers know what they're doing?;)