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.