House of Edgar quality/service?

[Nanook]

I'm, perhaps incorrectly, under the impression that "House of Edgar" is a diversified trading company with a fabric weaving mill and not primarily a kilt making or clothing fabrication company. Without a "middle man" for sourcing cloth and they can offer, I'm sure, very competitive pricing but not, I would think, service competitive with a proper tailor or kiltmaker. Their kilts, like those of Lochcarron, are quite good and more or less en-par with similar kilts from others (other than use of machines to sew there is not too much one can do to automate production and lower seamstress skill requirements). Their jackets are more or less typical of those found under a large number of labels (including those of premiere Highland clothing vendors, nearly all of which externally source ready-to-wear or subcontract made-to-measure with their own inhouse tailors): fused (glued), rationally produced and machine sewn.

[Highlander 578]

The trouble I'm having with HOE is more of a communication problem really, or am I being a bit 'thick' here?
I'll explain;
I asked for a price for an 8 yard Heavyweight kilt in my tartan, and the original quote offered three patterns; Ancient, Modern and Muted, and gave prices, and asked that I ordered via their website.
When I went online to do so I found that the Heavyweight section offered only 1 pattern in the tartan, and fails to name which one, while the Mediumweight offers all three.

Neither match the prices quoted!

They seem reluctant to allow any fitting or viewing of the goods before purchase as they have only a small showroom (how big is a jacket and kilt?) and open Monday to Friday, "9am to 4.30pm and you will need to 'phone us for an appointment."

So, I called by 'phone asked about a swatch of the cloth as they have none listed for sale in the tartan I wanted and for clarification of which tartan was offered in the Heavyweight, and was told to "go online and check the website".
Obviously I'd aready done that and could not find an answer, hence the fact that I called on the 'phone!

I'd asked if they could measure one of their jackets against the dimensions I had already sent to see if I needed a 46R or 46L, and was told to buy one, and if it did not fit I could return it, and order the next size. Surely a simple measure would make life easier?

An order of kilt, jacket and waistcoat is a bit of money nowadays, and in the recession here I'd have thought that HOE would have been keen to get the order, and if clarifying the situation, doing a quick measure of jacket length and sending a return email secured the sale I imagined that they would be happy to do so.
It's no good making the cloth if they can't do a wee bit to help sell it.

I've emailed them again, and if there's no better reply I'll go elsewhere.

[freddie]

I'm sorry to hear such bad reveiws about Tartan Kilts.com as I was thinking about buying a kilt from them. HoE cloth is really beautiful, but it is a shame that they only produce a limited range in heavyweight. I notice that they have just introduced a budget range of heavyweight cloth called 'Nevis' which seems to include more tartans than their stadard range. However their regimental weight is superb!!!!!!!!! - I felt a swatch in Geoffrey Tailor's shop in Oban - but this is only available in the old British regimental tartans, which is fair enough (I'll have MacKenzie pleated to the stripe please!).
It's more annoying that their 'muted' colours aren't available in heavyweight because their green is a really nice shade of moss green and not that sh**** brown colour that Lochcarron use in their 'weathered' colours!
Also I don't quite understand some of the choices in their 'Old and Rare' range (all 13oz medium weight), which cost extra. However, for colour, quality and cost I personally think they are the best mill.
In the past I've sent for tartan swatches from them which were nice and big and very cheap. The invoice stated the company name as MacNaughtens, and this must be the same company that have a wondeful shop in Pitlochry. The kilts etc. in there are fantastic quality but VERY EXPENSIVE!

[Nanook]

I'd asked if they could measure one of their jackets against the dimensions I had already sent to see if I needed a 46R or 46L, and was told to buy one, and if it did not fit I could return it, and order the next size. Surely a simple measure would make life easier?

The difference between an L(ong) and R(egular) is just 1" in the sleeves. The rest are the same. In 46 that's, resp., 32 3/4" and 33 3/4". If you are over 6'1" tall then LONG. If 5'7"-6' then Regular.. If a bit short or portly then S(hort). Its typically better to be 1/4" short than a 1/2" long. Sleeves, in general, on formal clothing need to be altered to fit. Shortening is typically easier than lengthening-- and that's often only possible on new clothing.

[Phogfan86]

The trouble I'm having with HOE is more of a communication problem really, or am I being a bit 'thick' here?
I'll explain;
I asked for a price for an 8 yard Heavyweight kilt in my tartan, and the original quote offered three patterns; Ancient, Modern and Muted, and gave prices, and asked that I ordered via their website.
When I went online to do so I found that the Heavyweight section offered only 1 pattern in the tartan, and fails to name which one, while the Mediumweight offers all three.

Neither match the prices quoted!

They seem reluctant to allow any fitting or viewing of the goods before purchase as they have only a small showroom (how big is a jacket and kilt?) and open Monday to Friday, "9am to 4.30pm and you will need to 'phone us for an appointment."

So, I called by 'phone asked about a swatch of the cloth as they have none listed for sale in the tartan I wanted and for clarification of which tartan was offered in the Heavyweight, and was told to "go online and check the website".
Obviously I'd aready done that and could not find an answer, hence the fact that I called on the 'phone!

I'd asked if they could measure one of their jackets against the dimensions I had already sent to see if I needed a 46R or 46L, and was told to buy one, and if it did not fit I could return it, and order the next size. Surely a simple measure would make life easier?

An order of kilt, jacket and waistcoat is a bit of money nowadays, and in the recession here I'd have thought that HOE would have been keen to get the order, and if clarifying the situation, doing a quick measure of jacket length and sending a return email secured the sale I imagined that they would be happy to do so.
It's no good making the cloth if they can't do a wee bit to help sell it.

I've emailed them again, and if there's no better reply I'll go elsewhere.

You're getting the same BS runaround my band did, and I just have a feeling you're going to end up not getting what you want.

Giving credit where credit's due, their fabric is wonderful. So find someone local for whom HoE is a supplier to make your kilt. Do not work with them directly any more than you have to. And once they have your money and they've sent you a product, you'll get even less communication from them than you are now.

[Highlander 578]

Well, I'd pretty much made up mind to make up my mind today! So, using Nanook's guide to sizing for the jacket, I did just that.
After I'd received an email from HOE which clarifies the discrepencies as regards pricing (a change in the VAT rate) I began to make out my order for a new rig out of PC jacket and waistcoat and a Crail Jacket and kilt. I had to call them to ask, again, which Drummond of Perth tartan they were offering in the Heavyweight range (Muted, Ancient or Modern). Then when I asked if I could also have a sash made for my wife I was told that the Heavyweight Modern was not suitable for this, and that the colours differed in the Mediumweight Modern material, which was. When I asked by how much, I was told, "a bit".
I asked (again) if swatches were available so as to make a comparison and was told to scroll to the foot of the webpage and order online. As before, no listing for the Drummond Modern tartan in either weight is shown.
As everything needs to be ordered over their website, this makes things impossible.

I asked about delivery, and was given an estimated time "if the material is in stock" but when I asked how long if it needed to be ordered I was told to place the order then they would check!

I just feel that the 'phone calls are an inconvenience to the shop, and emails with more than one request at a time are too difficult to answer.
The trouble is, their material is superb, and from all accounts their manufacture is fine, but their service................?
And if Phogfan86 is right, once I've parted with my money things might get even more difficult.

I wonder if I should even consider continuing with the order from them, or just give up altogether. Whatever happens I will however contact McNaughtons and express my dissapointment that their subsidiary company seems unable to covert a request into an order.

I should stress that these problems are not common with Scottish companies, whether supplying overseas or home markets, and I guess most problems like this may be down to individuals rather than the companies themselves.
The company I work for deal in wines from France and Australia, whisky from here in Scotland, tea from Africa, and land all over the UK, and I like to think that we're far more efficient in all of our dealings and cause much less hassle than what I'm having just buying a kilt!

[ForresterModern]

I checked Scotweb. The only Drummond they list as having both 16 and 13 oz fabric in modern from House of Edgar is the Drummond of Perth Modern, which only comes in single width fabric in the Old and Rare series. If this is what you are looking for the Scotweb site can supply you with samples for a small charge, and if you subsequently order from them instead of HoE they credit the cost of the samples toward your same tartan purchases. And they can not only get the fabric from HoE, they can also make your kilt and sash, and if you want your jackets and waistcoat, for probably about the same price if not cheaper (especially if you remember to access their website via the advert right upper of this page which gives you about a 10% discount too). Another option to bypass the headaches of HoE but still get the material you want.

Your 8yd 16oz tank kilt by Balmoral would be around $320 and your wife's sash in 13oz would be about $115.

[Robin]

I own 4 HoE kilts, 3 of them ordered via tartankilts.com.

The tartan fabric is outstanding, their muted colours are just awesome.

Measurements were spot on, very well made kilts and good communication, all kilts came within a month...well packed in kilt lenght boxes sealed with thick plastic.

When I asked for pleated to the stripe...they asked which stripe I liked best...without beltloops...no problem.

Absolute value for money and the only Scottish kiltmaker I never had issues with.
Their tartanflashes are overpriced, but that's the only negative I can think of.

Highly recommended


MacLaren muted, pleated to the (yellow) stripe. (Edinburgh)


Stewart of Appin muted, pleated to the stripe (Paris)



MacLaren modern colours, pleated to the set.

[Highlander 578]

Must just be me then, being too fussy.

[Robin]

I don't argue bad experiences...I just had none myself

*knocks on wood, because I'm thinking of ordering a new kilt myself.