Highland Wear from Pakistan

[Allum Aye]

Dear Friends:

Prior to becoming a member of this forum, I browsed the site and believe that there had been some discussion about Highland Wear from a company known as Imperial Highland Supplies, which is based in Pakistan.

Although there appeared to be considerable discussion about the company's use of certain photographs on their website, there was little discussion about the quality of products and services dispensed by this company. As a true Scot, I am all in favor of making acquisitions at bargain prices. Nevertheless, I am not prepared to sacrifice quality and/or service to save money.

Has any forum member made a purchase from Imperial Highland Supplies in Pakistan and willing to comment on their experience.

Sincerely,

Allum Aye
Don, Manitoba, Canada

[Andrews Son]

ive never brought any stuff of the traders who sell it. On the royal mile plenty of shops offering bargains, i saw a scotsman news article of a scottish kiltmaker complaining about these dealers saying there taking custom away from real scottish regalia. I think they kiltmaker is right in saying so, but who doesnt love a bargain. I found where these dealers get there merchandise from try kowii or greenland pipe co on this link
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=si...sm=93&ie=UTF-8
I cant however guarentee the quality of what they sell but ive been warned not to waste money on pakistani bagpipes. Im not sure if you have to buy in bulk but i was thinking of a full number 1 outfit and contemplated a full horse hair sporran and doublet. But would like to know the quality before purchase.
Good luck mate
Gavin

[Allum Aye]

Thank you, Gavin. I appreciate your comments.

Don
Allum Aye

[Hopper250]

I can't speak to the company you asked about, but I would say try Stillwater Kilts they are good and have a solid reputation here, as well as being an advertiser.

[Mikilt]

The old saying hold true. You get what you pay for. Cheap goods are just that, cheap. It's a far better value to invest in goods that, when properly cared for, will look good and last a lifetime.

[Andrews Son]

i lied when i said i havent brought anything cheap i have 3 polyviscose kilts from buyakilt.com there ok but i really want good quality kilts. it depends what route you want to go down ie. funds

[Downunder Kilt]

There is nothing wrong with purchasing cheaper products as long as you are aware of their limitations. I have purchased a couple of cheaper kilts, one wool, the other PV (both from merchants on this site). I wanted them for specific uses and they suited my requirements. As long as you are not expecting high quality merchandise and go into a purchase with your eyes open, then buy whatever you like. It is just like anything you purchase, not just kilting attire.

[JohntheBiker]

One should always remember that if the price is too good to be true, then it probably is. Folks on this site have had mixed results with Pakistani vendors and there are lots of cases of misrepresentation (including using photos of other people's products).

It's all about value. If the price and the quality are right for you, then you have achieved value. If not, you may have problems with recourse.

I have used Pakistani manufacturers of apparel and had quite satisfactory results. But I got to see samples and as a large purchaser, I had recourse insofar as they didn't get fully paid until I was satisfied.

For myself, I prefer to shop with local vendors and support my neighbours, including those that are partners on this site. I am assured of quality, service and value.

[artificer]

My question to the OP is this-

If the vendor doesn't feel compelled to use actual photos of their product (a fairly unethical practice, as it amounts to both IP theft and false advertising)
why do YOU as a buyer think that they'll treat you any more ethically?

Shady business practices rarely stop with just one area. Just my $00.02.

ith:

[Nathan]

I purchased a couple of sporrans from a local store that I'm sure are of Pakistani origin now. I needed to replace my Scottish made sporrans in a hurry for an event and didn't have the liquidity at the time to drop serious money. My Scottish made day sporran was "borrowed" and never returned and my sealskin Prince Charlie style sporran had lost a few tassels, dried out and cracked over time.

Here's the deal with the cheap stuff. It's ubiquitous and so after a while I was able to spot the difference at a glance. That means others can too. My sporrans are still in tact, but they are certainly not heirloom quality. The cantle can't be removed on my Pakistani dress sporran as it's affixed with rivets instead of clips or bolts, the leather on the day sporran is a cheap composite leather board except for the soft gusset. They will not stand the test of time and will only ever serve to get me by in a pinch because to the trained eye, they look, well...cheap.

If the point of wearing Highland attire is to dress up in your finery, it should look fine and not cheap.

If it's all you can afford, it will do but if you wear it often or are around others who know their stuff, you will end up paying the cost of the cheap kit as well as the more expensive things that will inevitably follow. If you do get a cheap kilt jacket, besides the awkward fit, it will last until you dry clean it and then it will show it's lack of quality due to shoddy glued chest plate etc.. If you can, skip step one and save some coin. Highlanders wore their wealth so they could have enough silver on them to pay for a burial if they died in battle far from home. Your stuff doesn't all need to be sterling (If it can be, great!), but it should look high quality.

I've replaced my cheap items so I've paid twice.

True value for money comes from buying something once, and having your sons and grandsons enjoy it.

Cheers,

N