Marton Mills PV fading

[Alan H]

I'm rebuilding my PV Ancient MacNaughton kilt that is about 5-6 years old now. There's a thread down in the DIY forum, for anybody who's interested. I've discovered that the side of the cloth facing the outside has definitely faded. The color change is strongest in the fell, but the outside of the over-apron definitely shows fading when compared to the underside of the same bit of cloth. Ditto for the outside of the pleats. I think it's pretty certainly light-induced, as in the fell, up where my belt covers the tartan, the fading is significantly less pronounced as compared to lower down.

Now, this kilt has seen a lot of wear, and a lot of that has been at Games here in California, where the sunlight and heat is just brutal. Since I've "expanded" somewhat...heh.... it's mostly spent the last year sitting in the closet, though. I can't decide if the color change is throughout all colors in the tartan, or mostly in the reds.

At any rate, it's not catastrophic, it's not a glaring-obvious change...I mean, I never noticed it before I was taking the kilt apart on my sewing table, but it's something that folks might want to be aware of. I'd be interested to hear from people who have kilts made of Marton Mills polyester-viscose, that are 4-5+ years old. Compare the color shades of the outside of the kilt to, for example, the outside of the under-apron. Perhaps take a look at where your belt covers the tartan and compare that to the shades a few inches below that in the fell, and let us know.

[Alan H]

BTW, this is not a huge old deal for me, personally, with this kilt as it's a "weathered" tartan anyway.

[Zardoz]

Well for what it's worth I have two kilts in the same MM tartan (Ireland's National), one from 2005 and the newer one from 2012. The older one has really seen a lot of wear and tear and washings over the years. But upon comparing them side by side, inside and out, belt area etc. I really can't see a discernible difference in the colors.

[The Wizard of BC]

Alan,

I have been using Marton Mills as one of my primary supplies for quite a few years now. I love their P/V. Almost all of my rental kilts are made from it due to the ease of maintenance.

Now granted, my rental kilts do not see the level of use your kilt has had. They are seldom outside for extended periods and certainly not in the level of sun that you see.

I have some kilts in my rental fleet that are approaching 5 years. Some have been worn and washed upwards of 30-40 times. The oldest kilt in the fleet has been through the washer and dryer at least 55 times and the dry cleaners at least 11 times. I can hold this kilt up to brand new fabric, of the same Tartan, still on the roll and see no appreciable difference in intensity of color or sharpness of pattern.

There is a slight difference if you look real close, but my customers who I show this kilt to, cannot see it.

I would also like to note that none of my P/V rental kilts has ever needed a re-pressing. Not in almost 5 years. I occasionally pass a fabric steamer over them to freshen them, but the creases of the pleats are as crisp today as the day they were made.



As with most retailers I seldom have a customer bring an old kilt into the shop to show me how they are holding up. I'll hear about it if there is a problem but almost never see my older kilts otherwise.

When a return customer comes in wearing an older kilt I always ask to look closely at it. Along with looking for wear and tear such as broken stitches or faults, I almost always look to see if how the fabric itself is holding up. I actually see more fading of the Wool and Poly/Cottons than I do the P/V. To me the Marton Mills P/V are miracle fabrics. Now if Rocky can just use his influence and convince them to weave a true 16 oz fabric in P/V.

[Alan H]

I have to say, considering the abuse this kilt has been through, and the further abuse that it will see now that I'm getting it to fit on me again, I am pretty darned pleased with the product. ---just wanted to make that clear, while I note the fading.

Again, it may only be the red dye, and for that matter the "weathered" red dye, not the "modern" red dye.

[unixken]

Reds particularly, tend to be vulnerable to UV-induced fading unless the dye manufacturer deliberately uses UV-protectant additives. Be they painted signs, the plastic on a child's plastic lawn toys, or drapes hanging in a sunny window... Over time, strong UV rays can kill the color red. It's got something to do with the higher energy levels of the light that is absorbed by reds. (The colors you see are the colors an object reflects... everything else is absorbed by the object.)

[RockyR]

I just checked a couple of my own kilts which have been worn 50+ times at festivals, mowing the lawn, etc. I have a MacQueen, a Douglas, an Ireland's National and a Tara. None of them show any fading when I peek in the depth of the pleats close to the fell when compared to the face of each pleat. I'm not saying yours DOESN'T, but I will say this is the first time (in 10 years of using MM PV Cloth) that I've ever heard someone say that it faded. We had a MacQueen Casual in the window of our old shop and when we took it down (after a year in the window getting sun daily in a non UV coated window), it was fine where OTHER items definitely DID fade after only a few weeks (including a $99 black vest which I was scolded for).

That being said, what Ken says is accurate... generally when a piece of cloth fades, red typically gets hit hardest and first. Also, the PV cloth is NOT coated with UV protectant, just Teflon coating.

Steve... even with me throwing my 'weight' behind a 16 oz PV option from MM, there's no chance. I've already been down that road more than once with them.

[Steve Ashton]

Well Rocky, one of these days the weavers will realize that there is a market out there for 16oz P/V. I know that I could sell a lot of kilts if it were available.

But it seems that P/V is treated as an afterthought. I know that Marton Mills did not start out as a Tartan weaver. They do far more fabrics for school wear etc. To them Tartans are something extra they could do with the P/V yarn they were already using.

And there are only a handful of us world wide that use it. That is why there are so few Tartans available.

But one day. One day someone will realize that the only reason there is a small demandl for P/V Tartan is because of the light weight. One day a weaver with go out on a limb by weaving it in 16oz. And I am convinced that they will be surprised at the response.

[John_Carrick]

I paid £34 for a PV kilt that might fade in five years. I won't sue this time.

[TheOfficialBren]

I would be interested in 16oz PV.