Another protectionist kilt article from "The Scotsman"

[Jock Scot]

RockyR.

Well over the years I have grown and sold a few thousand of tons of English malting barley into the Scotch Whisky trade, so I suppose one can't be too precise about these things.The bottle could be made from recycled glass from all over the world, the label could be printed in Taiwan, using Dutch paper and Italian ink, the cork(do we still have corks?) came from France, Spain, or I think Greece and of course the whisky(Scotch) is matured, when required, in Spanish sherry barrels, Portuguese port barrels or American bourbon ones. So it is difficult to be too precise, particularly as I am not a legal wallah.

As to kilts------- humm let's see. Okay off the top of my head, to get the "Scots kilt " tag I would expect, without exception, for the kilt to be made in Scotland, I think that I would expect that the cloth should be made in Scotland(I might have to adjust that a tad), but for the moment I will let it ride at that.

Now that leaves plenty of room for the non bespoke trade and that also leaves room for non wool fabrics to still qualify as a "Scots kilt" and that should give those that don't want or need a bespoke kilt to find something cheaper if they choose. Customers for the kilt, of course, still have the option of buying from the world if they so choose, too.The world kilt makers are happy to buy cloth to make kilts, from Scotland and other places from around the world so there really will not be much change there then.

Well that is the best I can do in a few minutes any way!

To their credit, there are many kiltmakers from outwith Scotland(some who contribute on this website)who make no secret of the fact that they make kilts to Scottish designs with Scottish cloth and Scottish tartans, BUT NOT ONCE, that I recall, have they ever claimed to sell a truely Scottish kilt made in Scotland. The Quallity of their work speaks for itself and they are justly proud of their nationality and I have no doubt that they will have nothing to fear from some sort of kilt legislation in Scotland. Should such an event ever happen, of course.