Thanks Drummie...Ann's been added to my list. She looks cool. Very happy with my hand sewn from Kathy Lare at www.kathyskilts.com a bit closer to home in Albuquerque.

Mangus, I agree with you too, but fear Utilikilts will self-destruct from inattention to production and final inspection...and website.

For all the money I've spent with them (call me an average kilt junkie) I've had hassles with five of my six purchases. Plus, I PAID IN ADVANCE for the goods.

First kilt, an 11 week wait for my side of the money for goods exchange.

Second kilt, hem comes out of five pleats first washing.

Third kilt, color different than ordered...big thing since we're talking leather here. Best I can figure is the website color selector jumping around because I remember wrestling with that and being sure it was in the right spot. My fault I didn't wrestle well enough. Then, the error could have been fixed with an email confirmation...UK HQ blames me for giving them a wrong email...but all the paperwork shows my correct email.

Fourth Kilt...so far, no problems other than the usual wait...comes in in just four weeks and I'm grateful...?? a black workman's, the same they crank out for Amazon...figure that's why it didn't take the usual 8+ weeks.

Fifth kilt, comes in with a bad snap. Snap just didn't take...pretty easy to check at inspection. But now begins a two week ordeal of calling for replacement snap and buying the equipment to stamp it myself. Three calls to get the snap (the special one for blue denim)...for some reason USPS took 8 days to deliver the stamps from the date on the UK postage meter...or maybe it took a while to get to the post office.

Sixth kilt, skipped stitches at the bottom of a workman's pocket. Easy to fix, but also very visible to someone in the factory if they inspect the kilts before shipping. Need to fix it, bottom of the pocket is an area that will get stress.

Add to this, a difficult to put words to attitude that's a mix of the wonderful work they are trying to do and the pressure of it all coming out sideways to customers. There's also a sort of resistance to having problems pointed out...an aloofness...a "how dare you" air..."you can't be on the team if you point this out" My feelings, maybe I'm just too sensitive of a former cop, former Marine...

I speak as a mature adult who grew up in the cut and sew industry. There's a core requirement for success in clothing. You HAVE to produce quality good for the price you sell at....VALUE. Without that, its all hoopla.

I want UK to succeed. I've emailed the boss about my typical customer experience...except for the bad pocket which came later. I hope they take the time and money to hire a strong willed production manager, or the one they have steps up, and at least institutes a tight inspection process. Some goods are always gonna get through...what I've experienced can't be right.

And, I've emailed with others who have similar experiences, both with the goods and the UK response to problems. The production problems don't seem to be going away in terms of delivery time or quality problems. That's sad. UK could be so good.

What is good is that UKs slow shipping and quality problems have encouraged and allowed other kiltmakers to step in and flourish.

In the time I was jonesing for six UK kilts I bought twelve others from five different kilt houses.

I can't help but wonder what my kilt binge would have been like if UK had shipped me my six kilts in about ten days each and they had been well inspected like every other item of clothing I buy...no problems. I might own only 6 UKs...okay, maybe a few more.

The honesty on this board is what attracted me. Don't know that I could have posted this on the UK board and not taken a bunch of flack from the UK loyalists.

Really do hope UK can assess themselves and make improvements that support the wonderful work they are doing on other fronts.

Ron