SWK thrifty advice

[sailortats]

I have just purchased an SWK thrifty kilt as a surprise gift for a bartender friend of mine who wants to go to the Pleasanton games with me. One must always be good to ones bartender. It should be arriving Wednesday or Thursday of this week as it was mailed today.

As I have absolutely no experience with an acrylic kilt I am hoping I can get some answers as regards the care and feeding of said kilt.

I shall, of course, mention the flammability problem to him but what about cleaning, pressing etc. Any other precautions that he should know about?
Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

[kiltbook]

I own an acrylic solid green kilt and a polyviscose black kilt. The acrylic kilt pills on the apron. I do not wear a sporran on most occasions, although I do own a black leather one. I have noticed that the acrylic kilt pills, and develops fuzz and runs underneath the sporran strap. Tell your friend to purchase a leather sporran strap and get rid of the chain strap because the chain will ruin the front of an acrylic kilt.

I recommend that he hand wash the acrylic kilt in the bathtub and air dry. Drycleaning is also a good idea. I would not clean the kilt more than once a year.

To press the kilt, use a plain white Hanes or Fruit of the Loom regular T-shirt (do not use a tank or A style shirt). Place the T-shirt on top of the kilt, and iron on top of the T-shirt. If the iron touches the kilt directly, the acrylic in the kilt will develop a shiny finish. Letting the iron touch the kilt directly will ruin the finish.

Wal-Mart sells plastic suit hangers that are perfect for storing acrylic kilts in the closet.

Hope your friend loves his kilt. To his health. Slainte'.

[Alan H]

The acrylic kilt will start to lose it's shape after 2-3 hand washings in the tub. So....don't wash it a lot, as kiltbook says. This lad will probably wear the kilt to Pleasanton, and then maybe, possibly to three or four other occasions during the year. If it hangs up in his closet by something that lets the pleats lie naturally, that kilt will probably last him 6-7 years, easily. Wash it once every other year. Seriously.

[sailortats]

Thanks guys, this is just the information I was looking for. And Alan, you are right, I don't expect that it will see too much wear through the course of a year.