Hands Aff Oor Kilts!

[highlander_Daz]

Thats a great point Robertson, the article suggests only garments made in Scotland should be called a "Scottish Kilt" If sweatshops in Edinburgh started churning out cheap and nasty Kilts then they could still be called "Scottish Kilts", Dangerous

Id suggest a "standard" a bit like the old kite mark if anyone remembers it
or a "guild of master Kiltmakers" or an ISO standard.

Id hate to see talented Kiltmakers like Matt and Barb, classed alongside the Gold bros rubbish because of where they happen to live.

Ive always disliked the way the royal mile fleeces tourists, but we all know the issues that Howie has had with the Gold Bros since they became his landlords, I wouldnt like to think that Howie is using this issue to generate negative publicity for the Gold bros,
its basicailly a flawed arguement to use the place of origin as a benchmark, for example a great Highland bagpipe doesnt have to be made in the Highlands nor does an Irish whistle, or French bread or Madras curries, Belfast sinks, etc all these things would be used as examples by sharp suited lawyers, the factors we are talking about here are:

The quality, weight and length of the fabric involved
and the skill of the craftsman/women making the garment,

the place of manufacture comes a distant third.

[Tattoo Bradley]

"Bourbon and Scotch are made from different ingredients. "

this is exactly whit Howie is talkin' aboot!

the plastic crap kilts arr NOT made from the same ingredients!

they shuidnae bae called Scottish Kilts...

Right indeed. BUT, I wasn't referring to the plastic kilts. I was referring to the kilts the likes of our fine American Traditional Kiltmakers produce. It would be a real shame to see them ostracized simply because they're located in the USA. They produce kilts of the same (or better in some cases) quality, of the same ingredients, and the same "recipe" as the proposed "Scottish Kilt."

Matt really has it in the bag with is "Hand made in America from Scottish Cloth" tags.

[Jock Scot]

Taking your "person sewing the two kilts" and expanding it a bit.It would make one heck of a differance if one kilt was made from a cloth of ,say any of the major cloth makers and a kilt made from "Harris" tweed.There is an act of Parliament protecting "Harris Tweed".Protection,right or wrong,already exists in the Scottish cloth world.

Not quite right there Ian,but I can quite understand how you did not notice it in the "fog"!

[Farlander]

I learn something new all the time from this forum. From the end of the article:
"Traditionalists insist that the plural of kilt is also kilt, rather than kilts."

Some how to my ear, saying "I own three kilt" does not sound quite right.

[tartanfish]

I agree, the kilt is a national dress, not a fad or costume. Give the garment what it deserves, a symbol of our Scottish pride. A quality product made by a craftsman who knows his/her craft and treats the process with dignity.

[Coemgen]

While I certainly understand the motivation behind this campaign, I can't support it, being a free market, free trade guy. Personally, I think an education campaign would be better. Say, some posters, or advertisements in newspapers and magazines that tourists would be apt to read.

[slohairt]

While I certainly understand the motivation behind this campaign, I can't support it, being a free market, free trade guy. Personally, I think an education campaign would be better. Say, some posters, or advertisements in newspapers and magazines that tourists would be apt to read.

Respectfully, Coemgen, it isn't free market, free trade, or even fair trade. It's globalisation and it's exploitation. We in the Western world are evolving into a society of merchants who do not actually make anything. Instead, we exploit the lax or non-existent labour laws of Third-World countries to make obscenely cheap products (often made by children). It's our need for instant gratification. You will sometimes hear people claim that things are this way because our own labourers demand a wage which is too high. I believe it is because companies discovered that exploitation is the key to their success. And they have tricked most of us into believing it.

I agree that an education campaign would certainly help. It certainly couldn't hurt. Maybe it would even dispel myths as well. Like the Lord Lyon's authority over tartan or tartan oghan!

I apologise in advance if this is considered a political posting, I think of it more as social commentary.

[vespa]

What about some kind of Scotland based international Kilt makers authority that could inspect product and issue a "seal of approval" or authorized to sell" kind of status to legitimate top quality Kilt making craftsmen/women?????? Would give the kiltmakers bragging rights as well.

[beloitpiper]

What about some kind of Scotland based international Kilt makers authority that could inspect product and issue a "seal of approval" or authorized to sell" kind of status to legitimate top quality Kilt making craftsmen/women?????? Would give the kiltmakers bragging rights as well.

That's a novel idea...

[Tattoo Bradley]

What about some kind of Scotland based international Kilt makers authority that could inspect product and issue a "seal of approval" or authorized to sell" kind of status to legitimate top quality Kilt making craftsmen/women?????? Would give the kiltmakers bragging rights as well.

Something like that DOES already exist (of which Kathy Lare is a member.) Because of this she is authorized to place the guild's label in her kilts. Nobody pays much attentionl to this now. So, I doubt it would make much difference elsewhere.