Hamish,

In my experience, you are 100% correct. I know of no major (or even minor!) UK-based kiltmaker that offers a traditional box pleated kilt. Most don't even know what it is.

Keep in mind, also, that until comparatively recently, a lot of Scottish kiltmakers never would have offered a 4 yard kilt of any variety. Most of them now offer some version of a "casual kilt" or a hill walker kilt that has about 4 yards (knife pleated), but this was not the case 15 or 20 years ago. In fact, as recently as three years ago I had one kiltmaker in Scotland call to try and get us to carry his products in our gift shop. I asked him if he made any form of 4 yard kilt and he told me that he was a kiltmaker and not interested in making lady's skirts!

Bob Martin taught me how to make box pleated kilts, and he's actually the one who brought this style back to life in 1983. As he describes it, it came about because he was looking for a way to convince people here in America that heavy weight wool makes the best kilts. People at that time (at least here in the American south) were convinced that the lighter kilt weights were not only less expensive but would keep them cooler in the warmer weather.

Bob lamented to Michael MacDonald (of the Scottish Tartans Society, and father of tartan weaver and designer Peter MacDonald), who suggested that Bob offer the old style box pleated kilt, made from four yards of cloth, from heavy kilt weight wool. MacDonald, as a kilt historian, knew full well about the four yard box pleated kilts from his research. Bob looked into the style (I couldn't tell you how many trips over to Scotland he has made in his kilt-making career, but he's been behind the scenes at just about every museum with an old kilt in it!). And in 1983, he started offering the box pleated kilt along with other more contemporary kilt styles.

The kilt he offered, and the kilt I offer, is not a peice of historical clothing meant for reenactment. (Though I can make you one like that, if you like). There are quite a few differences between a four yard box pleated kilt from 1794 and one as I make it today. As I explain on my web site, I do include a lot of modern features:
http://kilts.albanach.org/details.html

I use a lining, straps and buckles, tapered hips, etc. So this is just as much a kilt for contemporary formal and casual wear as a more standard eight yard knife pleated kilt is. And while a lot of people are interested in it as a more historic form of pleating, I would have to make it a bit differently for it to really be an historical re-creation.

But I find that most Scottish kilt makers still don't even know what box pleating is. If I recall correctly, Bob has regailed me with some tails of wearing a box pleated kilt over to Scotland only to be told that his pleats were not correct, they should be this or that way. And the ironic thing is that the original box pleated kilts are all housed in museums right there in Scotland, should anyone bother to take a look at them!

Bob has taught quite a few people how to make this style of kilt. Most of them, I would say, only learned to make kilts for their own personal pleasure. The only ones I know of that are doing it commercially are myself and Wanda McSwain. Wanda was actually trained by Bob to be his successor after he retired from kiltmaking. I beleive that most of the kilts she makes these days are 8 yard knife pleated kilts. She really is quite accomplished as a kiltmaker, and can do all styles of kilts (including the military box pleats mentioned earlier in the thread).

I, on the other hand, more or less specialize in the box pleated kilts. (Though I will make a completely hand-tailored knife pleated kilt from 5 yards of cloth if someone requests -- this is simply to provide a hand-tailored option to those who like the "casual kilts" most major kilt makers offer, but don't want machine stitching).

While I think it would be great if every major kilt maker began to offer traditional four yard box pleated kilts as a part of their line, I don't think it's going to happen any time soon. But that's ok by me. Part of the charm of the box pleated kilt is that they are somewhat out of the ordinary!

Aye,
Matt