What would you do?

[Hopper250]

When I was looking at getting a kilt and was lost on the large number of sellers, I came here and lurked. The Forum sections for each of the advertisers and the recomendations from the members of who to get a kilt from for a certain price (almost always an advertiser) led me to buy from our advertisers, and I will continue to buy from them. From the response existing members had and the advice they gave about who has provided good service and, to me a key word, HONEST advertizing led me to join.

I wouldn't want to see that go anywhere. Whether a new member is buying from Stillwater Kilts or USA Kilts, the members here trust both companies as honest and solid, which is what we should be looking for in advertisers.


A web comic I read has just started having advertisements from other webcomics. These are labled "Currated Ads" because the writer is making sure the ads are for comics that are good, not just in art and story, but in all the little things that make a webcomic worth visiting, consistant updates, communication with readers, honesty in what happened if an update was missed. That is how I think of the Advertisers here, and I hope to keep doing so.

[Calgacus]

Hi Steve,

I think what I was trying to put across is that my purchases must be ethical AND where possible local, and that the two aspects, whilst not the same thing, are linked, at least in a general east/west way. I buy locally wherever possible to support my local community, whether it be dog food, kilts, or my choice of house builder but they must also be ethical companies or individuals. That's where X Marks comes in, at least for Highland wear, as I know I can trust the advertisers listed here to be ethical and trustworthy, and I commend you greatly for that. If only there was an X Marks equivalent for everything!

So, I didn't mean to come over as saying "Scottish is best", it isn't necessarily, but I will try to support small, quality manufacturers and if they are local then so much the better. Buying on the internet is a minefield and there are huge pressures for manufacturers to reduce prices at any cost, more so than in bricks & mortar shops where the customer can see and handle the goods and therefore make at least a bit of a judgement about quality.

Thank you for the correction about DC Dalgleish, they advertise themselves as the last dedicated artisan weaver, my bad. I would actually be very glad if you could name those other weavers who produce tartan on shuttle looms.

As for Harris tweed, that is an industry which I think deserves supporting. The Western Isles have a fragile economy and the industry was taken very close to the brink only a few years ago, so I'd like to do my bit to support it.

Anyway I have the feeling I am waffling a bit so will leave it at that and hope I've put myself across a bit better this time.

[Matty Ross]

Steve
Can you please explain to me how kilts sold by UT kilts that mimic Utilikilts are copyright violations and Kilts sold by Alt.kilt, Celtic Croft and S Kilt, are not?

[techdragon]

I can answer for my kilts and the answer is that it comes down to design properties. In garment manufacturing you really want to have at least three difference from an "original" for you not be thought of as a copy. (At this point, even Utilikilt had strayed pretty far from their own patent over the years) Plus, in clothing, you cannot copywrite a garment unless there is a change that significantly effects it's wear and use- no one can copywrite a t-shirt or a sweatshirt, as a concept but you can copywrite the art printed on it.

My kilts are not factory made- I make each one. I use a 3" box pleat and Utilikilt makes knife pleats. I use buttons, they use snaps. I do not use a standard hip to waist slope- they do. My cargo pocket design is made differently and appears very different. I do not use a welt back pocket- they do. Visually, my kilts look nothing like their kilts (or to my knowledge, anyone else's kilts). Kilts are like t-shirts-- you can't copywrite "a kilt" because it has been worn for a long time but once you start making a product,, people will see the small ways yours is unique. That area is a fuzzy one and clearly happens more in contemporary kilts around these parts then traditional styling.

Please let me know if you have any other questions. I'm happy to help!

-Jeanie