Ponderings of an ancient Scot.

[OC Richard]

And wool? Who can afford wool or real leather? Or for that matter, a hand-sewn kilt? In steps China to the rescue! Out go the dollars over the sea.

It makes my blood boil, to walk down the Royal Mile and see shop after shop selling Pakistani kilts, sporrans, belts, bagpipes, etc to unsuspecting tourists, while at the same time Scottish kiltmakers, sporranmakers, and pipemakers are struggling to keep in business. I believe that Scotland should pass a law declaring certain things "national cultural items" and these should be illegal to import into the country for resale. (This would not prevent a Scot from purchasing an American-made bagpipe or Canadian-made kilt for his personal use.)

I think most of your predictions sound bang on!

[Ancienne Alliance]

.)
And to me, sloppy is unsightly in any form.

And wool? Who can afford wool or real leather? Or for that matter, a hand-sewn kilt? In steps China to the rescue!

Does this sound like a Nightmare on Kilt Street?
(Make me wrong about all this, please!)

China and Lycra kilts won't come to anybody's rescue.

Real wool or leather is a question of priority and culture.

I prefer having one single $500 worsted wool hand made kilt than 7 or 8 cheap kilts.

I prefer 1 bottle of excellent wine to a gallon of bad one etc. etc.

This attitude doesn't come over night. You have to cultivate it. Teach it to your kids...


Best,

Robert

[davidlpope]

I prefer having one single $500 worsted wool hand made kilt than 7 or 8 cheap kilts.

I prefer 1 bottle of excellent wine to a gallon of bad one etc. etc.

This attitude doesn't come over night. You have to cultivate it. Teach it to your kids...

Robert, I heartily agree.

Cordially,

David

[Tobus]

Am I wrong? Is there a steady increase in genealogical research or is it a passing fad? Are people really interested in their ancestry, Scottish or other? Do they place value on it? My opinion may be influenced by the attitudes of people around me who have set their minds on where they want to go and not where they came from.

I think you're on to something there. There is indeed a rising interest in genealogy, but I don't think it's necessarily for the purpose of maintaining blood ties or staying with traditional cultural values. Honestly, I think it's mostly that Americans are struggling for a sense of identity. The "melting pot" idea sounds great politically, but leaves a lot of people with no culture except what they invent for themselves. So people may be struggling to put the pieces of the past together so they can forge ahead with creating a new identity that's based on something, and not just pulling it out of thin air.

I believe that Scotland should pass a law declaring certain things "national cultural items" and these should be illegal to import into the country for resale.

Not being a proponent of using the force of law to institute cultural change (which sets dangerous precedents on many levels), I'd much prefer that the Scots just do it on their own through good business sense and marketing. If the tourists are buying lesser-quality imported goods, maybe the traditional Scottish artisans should engage in an aggressive marketing campaign to make clear to tourists the difference between the "real deal" and the cheap stuff. I just think that in the long run, trying to maintain a tradition through law is going to fail. It has to be genuinely supported by consumers.

Real wool or leather is a question of priority and culture.

I prefer having one single $500 worsted wool hand made kilt than 7 or 8 cheap kilts.

The more I learn about all things kilted, the more I agree. I'm just not sure that the great masses of tourists will ever be willing to make a large investment in quality goods unless they're making it a part of their lifestyle. You're absolutely right that it must be taught to our kids, and it's a value that will only survive by conscious effort from those who care (like the members of this forum).

[thescot]

China and Lycra kilts won't come to anybody's rescue.

Real wool or leather is a question of priority and culture.

I prefer having one single $500 worsted wool hand made kilt than 7 or 8 cheap kilts.

I prefer 1 bottle of excellent wine to a gallon of bad one etc. etc.

This attitude doesn't come over night. You have to cultivate it. Teach it to your kids...


Best,

Robert

Ah, words of wisdom and grace from a man who has cultivated both.

And I think that Tobus is right about Scots marketing. Buying junk is buying junk, but I can' imagine outlawing junk that isn't harmng anyone. Sets a dangerous precedent as to who decides what is OK. I am, of course, quite capable of deciding for the rest of you, but I don't think you can decide for me! (Please note the bit of sarchasm in that last.)

And don't forget that if we do choose not to buy the junk, it could put quite a few very poor people out of work. It works both ways.

[English Bloke]

I came to kilting through buying a cheap kilt. I would probably not be wearing my expensive kilts now were it not for this initial foray. (I own 4 wool kilts)

It's been a slow learning process but I have concluded, from my own experience that I do not wish to buy any more cheap (non wool) kilts. That's not to say they don't have their place. It's a great place to start and certainly set my ball rolling but they are not comparable to a traditional wool kilt. I still wear my PV kilts if out for rough and tumble as I'd hate to damage my precious wool but they are not my first choice. I now have wool and it is the best...

Banning cheap imported kilts to protect the interests of tradtional kilt makers will probably be the death knell for the whole industry. Lets not forget that most Scottish kilt wearers own but one kilt in a life time and some of those are hand-me-downs. Hardly enough business there to put food on the kiltmakers table.

The more people who buy a cheap kilt and like it; and are then inspired to venture into purchasing a wool kilt; or more than one if they are following the "I'll have a kilt in that tartan 'cause it's in my family tree" ethos, surely that's all to the good of the Scottish kiltmaking industry as well as traditional kilt making in other parts of the world.

I would hate to see professional kiltmaking disappear but in order to sell kilts there must be a demand. Cheap kilts fuel that demand in my opinion. They light the kindling of enthusiasm.

In addition, a tartan sett is not a regimental tie or a bullion blazer badge. It's not a case of wearing it without the proper authority. Wearing the McOnion sett because your great grandmother was called McOnion and your name happens to be Cheesebloke isn't showing disrespect to the Scottish McOnions. If anything it's showing a huge respect to all things Scottish. If an individual feels an affinity for a particular tartan then what is the problem with obtaining a kilt or scarf or whatever in said tartan?

Crystal Balls? I hope that kilt wearing spreads further. I hope that people who have a connection to their Scottish heritage and even those who have no connection at all, continue to buy kilts in whatever tartan they feel is appropriate and for whatever reason they may have for making their choice. The key thing is buying kilts. If kilts are not bought in sufficient quantity to make it viable to produce them then quality kiltmaking will become a lost art and Scotland and the world will be reliant on cheap imports to perpetuate it's Scottish traditions because there won't be any quality kilt makers left.

Just my thoughts, but then I'm English and I'm probably missing something.

[Howard Clark]

Crystal Balls? I hope that kilt wearing spreads further. I hope that people who have a connection to their Scottish heritage and even those who have no connection at all, continue to buy kilts in whatever tartan they feel is appropriate and for whatever reason they may have for making their choice. The key thing is buying kilts. If kilts are not bought in sufficient quantity to make it viable to produce them then quality kiltmaking will become a lost art and Scotland and the world will be reliant on cheap imports to perpetuate it's Scottish traditions because there won't be any quality kilt makers left.

Just my thoughts, but then I'm English and I'm probably missing something.

I think you said it nicely there. If I had not had an inexpensive kilt to try first, I would not likely have ventured into the "made to measure" world either. (Of course I have only patronized north american kilt makers thus far), but all with Scottish wool.

Wear your kilt, be happy.

I wish I could do it myself as well as the pro's, but I cannot, in a reasonable amount of time.

[dfmacliam]

I echo the above sentiments.. if I had not purchased an economy kilt, I would not have found my way into my more traditional kilts..

[KiltShot]

It's true that putting more value on quality than quantity is a matter of education. The ability to recognize quality must be taught as well if the young buyer is to resist the temptation of similar looking products at bargain prices. I think that traditional kilt makers do educate the public on how to recognize quality, but is that enough? Can they be effective in teaching a sense of what value is?

If we don't buy imported junk then the very poor people being exploited as slave labor will simply be driven by the bosses to produce in some other way. We can't change the politics of exploitation in foreign countries so easily.

Where money is involved, tradition doesn't seem to have much meaning to young people anymore. So if the market is to decide what is best for all then the consumer needs to shop with knowledge of what value and quality is and the responsibility to support their local economy.

[Paul]

China and Lycra kilts won't come to anybody's rescue.

Real wool or leather is a question of priority and culture.

I prefer having one single $500 worsted wool hand made kilt than 7 or 8 cheap kilts.

I prefer 1 bottle of excellent wine to a gallon of bad one etc. etc.

This attitude doesn't come over night. You have to cultivate it. Teach it to your kids...


Best,

Robert

Robert, I do agree with you entirely.
I went into kilting with a "it'll do, it;s cheap enough" attitude, buying a Pakistani-made Argyll and PV kilt. I then discovered Xmarks and wanted some acknowledgement of what to wear to different occasions. I then found myself amongst many like-minded people on many issues, and I loved looking at people wearing different kilts with different outfits.
I think that's what made me get my first and second wool kilts. After that I really did aquire real likeability to the "original factor" and having kilts made-to-measure. The many thing I learned was the real benefits of having a mediumweight or heavyweight wool kilt, and wearing different kilts on different occasions.
I now own 5 wool kilts, 0 PV kilts and I have my most expensive kilt being made as we speak, because it's worth it!

I thank all of the members of Xmarksthescot who contributed to my newly-found endorsement of the kilt. 0-6 in 9 months really shows something - that I developed a new taste for my heritage with some much-needed guidance, though, to my girlfriend it shows that I love to waste my money rather a lot!