Hands Aff Oor Kilts!

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

A total of 80 hand-wringing posts, and not one positive suggestion. Until now. The Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs should be asked to set guidelines for kilt quality (irrespective of place of origin), and those kilt makers (large factories or home tailors) who meet these standards would then be allowed to place the "Approved By The Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs" tag on their kilts.

Buyers would then be able to separate the decent kilts from crap kilts without having to have any arcane "kilt knowledge". All things being equal, most people will choose to buy an "approved" product ahead of one that is not "approved".

The Standing Council already does this on a wide range of products-- everything from kilt pins to wood carvings, with glassware and other sundry items tossed in for good measure.

[McClef]

Well of course it is easier to spot the flaws in an argument M.O.R. than to make suggestions.

The biggest problem in coming up with a list of criteria is that of authority - no matter what we here at X Marks came up with we are more the "end users" but then of course customer research is considered an important exercise.

Definitions by those involved in manufacturing and selling kilts could be seen as based upon commercial considerations as we have seen in comments.

But an seal of approval from a body would only be that - a seal of approval and does nothing to actually define a Scottish kilt as such.

Certainly it's better than nothing but it does not help towards a legal definition that can be legislated upon by the Scottish Parliament.

But it does help towards looking after the interests and workmanship of quality kilt makers who do not reside in Scotland so who checks with the Chiefs as to whether or not they feel able to support it.?

Approving all potential kilt makers sounds like a lot of work investigating and assessing each applicant's work quality and ethos and would it be voluntary or would they expect renumeration or expenses?

[fluter]

A total of 80 hand-wringing posts, and not one positive suggestion. Until now.

Well, I've been playing catch-up on this thread. Here's mine: Let's trademark the term "tartan tat" and sue the Gold Bros. for selling it.

[McClef]

Well, I've been playing catch-up on this thread. Here's mine: Let's trademark the term "tartan tat" and sue the Gold Bros. for selling it.

I doubt that such a term could be copyrighted or trade marked. Besides which I can't imagine that Gold Bros. would dream of using such a term to advertise their wares!

As former Chief Justice Warren Berger once said - he could not define obscenity but he knew it when he saw it!

[McFarkus]

Crystal, Robertson.

Matt, Kathy, Barb, et al. never claim to make "Scottish" kilts, but I am afraid that too draconian of a measure here would unfairly lump them in with the people this effort is designed to fight.

People on this forum are always saying you don't have to be Scottish to wear a kilt; given the handiwork of our American and Canadian kiltmakers, I don't think you have to be Scottish to make a guid yin either. T.

I don't think that this is in any way aimed at the outstanding kilt makers on this forum. It is aimed, instead, at cheesy merchants in Scotland who try to pass off inexpensive, machine made kilts of man-made fibers as Scottish kilts. Matt, Kathy, Barb et al. don't sell kilts in Scotland, but I do think any Scot upon seeing one of their 'tanks' would recognize it as a kilt of good quality.

[Colin]

[macwilkin]

I don't think that this is in any way aimed at the outstanding kilt makers on this forum. It is aimed, instead, at cheesy merchants in Scotland who try to pass off inexpensive, machine made kilts of man-made fibers as Scottish kilts. Matt, Kathy, Barb et al. don't sell kilts in Scotland, but I do think any Scot upon seeing one of their 'tanks' would recognize it as a kilt of good quality.

I am aware of the intended purpose (as I have stated in several of my posts) but thank you for pointing out again.

My concern is, that while good-intentioned, such actions might accidently include reputable overseas firms and kiltmakers, unless a better solution, such as Rathdown's suggestion, is considered.

T.

[McClef]

It's worth taking a look at what the aims of the Chiefs are:

http://www.clanchiefs.org/history.html

And progressing to the Constitution section I can find nothing there either to indicate that they would be prepared to enter into the realm of giving a seal of approval to kiltmakers as opposed to armorial bearings and heraldry.

Of course there would be nothing to prevent an approach to gauge reaction upon this issue but I fear it could well be a case of Ultra Vires.

[Alan H]

Well, this thread was a sobering read.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

It's worth taking a look at what the aims of the Chiefs are:

http://www.clanchiefs.org/history.html

And progressing to the Constitution section I can find nothing there either to indicate that they would be prepared to enter into the realm of giving a seal of approval to kiltmakers as opposed to armorial bearings and heraldry.

Well, I'd be willing to float the idea past their Secretary, Romilly Squire of Rubislaw (a true hater of tartan tat if ever there was one). I think it would be in the Chief's interests to look into this as the vast majority of kilts sold around the world are clan tartans. I would argue that the establishment of reasonable standards would protect the consumer as well as the "good name" of the clan.

I agree that it would be impossible to enforce any sort of "prohibition" on the weaving and making up of clan tartans, but that would not prevent the Chief of Clan MacWhatever from taking up the position that a 3 yard kilt made from 6oz acrylic does not meet with his approval and therefore should not be bought by his clansmen.

The standard applied could be as simple as "kilts will be made up from not less than five yards of tartan fabric containing not less than 60% wool content, whose workmanship is consistent with the quality of other products licensed and approved by the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs".