any experience with MyTartan.com?

[RockyR]

Hello Raymond,

Welcome to Xmarksthescot!

I'm ALL FOR giving people options and ways to express their heritage and national dress for discount prices. God knows that's the idea many "highland wear" companies were founded upon.

The bone of contention with most "xmarksers" (and people in general) seems to be in the marketing of Chinese and Pakistani goods as "designed in Scotland". Can you let us know where your 40 GBP kilts were made?

Also, another thing I take exception to is the notion that mills and shops charging more than 200 GBP for a kilt are "ripping off" customers. We've had several thread up here (from CUSTOMERS and novice / part time kiltmakers) explaining what goes into making a kilt and breaking down the costs to get an hourly rate of near the minimum wage line... I also know what it takes to weave the cloth and think that many mills charge the correct price (or are "low priced) for their wares.

Your comments about kiltmakers and mills ripping people off reminds me of an article interviewing the Gold Brothers from the Edinburgh Evening Post. Here's a snip:

Dildar Singh, who along with his uncles runs the family's chain of gift shops in the city, said other kiltmakers in the city were "ripping people off".

He said: "A lot of people are not happy that kilts are being made abroad. We like making kilts cheap and affordable. We've got the buying power, so we can sell them for £50 and still make a living.

"We deal with the same companies as other kiltmakers and I don't see why they're charging so much. But then not everybody has the capacity to buy as many as we do.

"The maximum someone should be paying for a kilt is £200. Kiltmakers have had it too easy for too long."

Here's the full article:

http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/to...-up.3855161.jp

[Xabaras]

...Dildar Singh, who along with his uncles runs the family's chain of gift shops in the city, said other kiltmakers in the city were "ripping people off"...

And here where I bought my kilt...
Dunno if be happy or sad...

[RockyR]

If you enjoy it, be happy!

It's all part of the learning / education process. You will be better informed next time you go to buy. That's not to say you don't go back to the same place... wherever you go, be sure to make an informed decision.

[Ayin McFye]

Wow great comparision Rocky on the article you've read before. it was almost verbatim. It might just be a coincidence though.

Like Rocky said, if you like your kilt, then that's awesome! Doesn't matter who made it and what country it was made it as long as you're happy with it. It's the deception of "Designed In Scotland" that throws many Xmarkers off. It may have been "designed" in Scotland, but not "made" in Scotland. A technicality i know, but it does seem to bother some people.

Cheap kilts are great, they're fantastic for lounging around the house, or other activities that may cause it to get damaged. Plus if it weren't for the cheap kilts, It would have taken me much longer to join the kilted world.

[auld argonian]

Good to hear from Mr. Hamilton. I had read somewhere that there was a shop starting up in Galashiels that was going to feature goods made by the locals and I realized after looking at the MyTartan website that it was probably the one that I had read about. Hence my caution about not assuming that it was part of the Gold Brothers empire.

Look forward to seeing some pics and reviews from anybody who gets some of their stuff.

Best

AA

[Xabaras]

If you enjoy it, be happy!

It's all part of the learning / education process. You will be better informed next time you go to buy. That's not to say you don't go back to the same place... wherever you go, be sure to make an informed decision.

I don't want to hijack the thread so I'll stop after this post.
I'm happy with what I bought, It's my first kilt and I want to keep the budged low. The kilt it's in PV (and I knew it), It's nice and well stitched. I was almost ready to buy from SWK, but the site from Edinburgh (thescotlandkiltcompany) dropped the prize by 20% for a special offer, and I bought there. Next time I'll be more "experienced" thanks to Xmarksthescot!

[Carolina Kiltman]

Warning! Rant coming!! I have no problem with any person who makes a cheap item, IF full disclosure is made. I am currently wearing a shirt made in Honduras, one of our neighbors to the south. (In all honesty I have to admit it doesn't fit too well either) I live in an area which a generation ago was the centre of fabric manufacturing in the US. It was a Mecca for all seamstresses and others who did their own sewing. I bought fabric for suits and other clothing and had a tailor make them up (I am a difficult fit). What that also meant was that I had two suits, one summer, one winter. I had to dress for work, so I had two sport jackets, three pr of trousers, and a matching vest made, all to be machine washable. That was the totality of my "working" wardrobe. I paid far less over the years than some of my colleagues who bought much cheaper "off the rack" clothing, as mine fit right, lasted a very long time, and were outside of the "style of the moment" in design.

What really burns me is that the public has been brainwashed that "cheaper" under the guise of "saving money" is always better. I would prefer my neighbor to keep his/her job in the mill, than to have to hire out as a temp doing domestic work when the plant was moved offshore in the name of "saving the consumer money".

Inferior products sold at aiming to undercut the locally made items is not saving money. If all the former manufacturing population of the US is reduced to flipping burgers (honest, but low skilled and paid work) then who is going to be able to buy anything of quality any more? I do not consider a quality made item, by well paid workers a "rip off", but an investment in my own neighbors.

If you can buy in bulk, save on handling, and control costs through efficiency, then great! Do it! However, don't grind your employees down to minimum wage or less and then tell me what a great employer you are, and how those who treat their workers with respect and good place to work are "ripping me off!" end of rant.

[Tetley]

I've just received an 8 yard PV kilt (Heritage of Scottish) from MyTartan, one of their Top Sellers range, and I'm very happy with it and the service. I'll certainly be using them again.

Apart from putting the kilt on and checking it for size I haven't worn it much since it's a bit too warm to be wearing it and the other 8 yard kilt I have. But this is England and the weather is already getting colder so it won't be long before it's worn on a regular basis.

[Tetley]

Plus if it weren't for the cheap kilts, It would have taken me much longer to join the kilted world.

Can you imagine how much it would cost to buy 90+ kilt like Hamish at £300+ a go.

Most of my kilt are "cheap" since I wear them every day. In much the same way as when I wore trousers, I wore cheap trousers every day.

The posh kilt is for dances, dates and other celebrations.

[Ayin McFye]

Like I and many members of Xmarks have said before, we don't have any problem with cheap kilts, they definitely serve their purpose. I think I own 7 cheap kilts, and I don't regret any of them. But there is a definite difference between a cheap kilt and a nice handsewn kilt.

The biggest issue I have with the cheap kilts is the lack of tartan availability. I own a Pride of Scotland tartan and a MacKenzie, and a Buchanan. All 3 of which are very common tartans. Granted you can get nice kilts made in these but most places offer the cheap versions and so you see them everywhere.

There are THOUSANDS of tartans out there but it seems whenever a merchant decides to sell the cheap kilts there are only a dozen or two tartans to choose from tops. If they are so easy and cheap to make they should have more choices.

I have other issues with them as well, but they have all been stated before. So I don't really want to repeat myself again.