Economic theory

[Barb T]

A trad kilt made by the traditional method (i.e., all hand sewn, not just hand finished, with all the stabilizing interior construction and pleat shaping that makes a trad kilt different from a machine-made kilt) takes me 20-24 hours of working time to make. It simply takes that long to make a kilt. The only ways to make it more cheaply are to make it in less time by cutting corners on the construction or to make it with less expensive materials or to do it with really cheap labor. All three are currently being done. If you want to cut cost but want top flight fabric with traditional top flight construction, you need to find a kiltmaker who will work for only a few $ an hour. Otherwise, your only choices to cut costs are in materials and construction.

I buy tartan wholesale and, with the dollar as weak as it has been, I've been spending over $200 just on the tartan lately. Do the math. If I were doing this for a retailer who then sold the kilt to a customer who had ordered the kilt, you can see where the final cost comes from. It is cheaper to order a trad kilt directly from the kiltmaker, but it still isn't cheap.

Barb

[Jimmy Carbomb]

Okay... so Barb does it in half the time as me!

I have a few years to catch-up!!!

As long as people are willing to pay the prices, they're going to be charged. Economics aside, it's just business. You really think that SportKilts cost that much for the material and labor? There's atleast one kilt company here that knows better.

Like Barb... there are any number of suppliers and mills that will "deal" with kilt makers and give them one hill of a price. Aside from the actual material costs, you have to include freight and (depending on the source) duty. There are no less than seven mills in the USA that are making what the companies need, and that alone saves a LOAD of money... especially if you know where to pick-up the rolls personally.

I would gladly pay hundreds for one of Barb's pure, hand-made kilts. I will pay the price for the unique and rugged UtiliKilt. I will pay for the uniquely, well-crafted Grizzly-Cut BearKilts. If I'm going to be a non-conformist by wearing a kilt... the kilt itself is going to be "crafted" and not made.

[David Thornton]

I must admit that I am enjoying this thread and learning a bit as well. I was not aware of so many kilt makers here. Do all of you advertise? Care to post a link so I can see your work as well?
Price of material, I had thought about that. Never have been able to figure out why there was so much difference in the price. Small run vs large run, again just economics. But three and four time marks?
Rocky, or anyone else with an opinion, what kilt(s) in the $120 ish range are you referring to as good product? Not trolling or questionning your opinion, I really want to know.
David

[Shay]

He heh- see up at the top of the screen? They're all links to various kiltmakers. Also if you go to the main forum page, some of the different kiltmakers have their own forums under X Marks Advertisers

www.USAKilts.com is Rocky's company, prices range around $110-130 for a philabeg kilt. www.Amerikilts.com has a modern kilt that costs about $100 with shipping. Union kilts are about $150 USD, and Celtic Croft's economy kilts start at about a hundred. There's a bunch more I can't think of the website off the top of my head, like Bear Kilts, 21st century kilts, and Stillwater kilts, as well as other kiltmakers- who usually have the website listed under their name, so keep an eye out if you like someone's posts.

Some folks make kilts on their own, more a hobby than a business, some do it as a side business, and some do it full-time, but only on specialty orders. It's a big world out there, and getting bigger all the time.

[RockyR]

I must admit that I am enjoying this thread and learning a bit as well. I was not aware of so many kilt makers here. Do all of you advertise? Care to post a link so I can see your work as well?
Price of material, I had thought about that. Never have been able to figure out why there was so much difference in the price. Small run vs large run, again just economics. But three and four time marks?
Rocky, or anyone else with an opinion, what kilt(s) in the $120 ish range are you referring to as good product? Not trolling or questionning your opinion, I really want to know.
David

USAK is Kelly and my company... our Casual starts at $110 (let others judge my quality)
Bear has a good product at $130
Pittsburgh Kilts has a solid kilt starting at $110
Amerikilt has a solid starting at $95 (although mass produced)

[RockyR]

There are no less than seven mills in the USA that are making what the companies need, and that alone saves a LOAD of money... especially if you know where to pick-up the rolls personally.

I'd LOVE to see a list of the mills here in the US that weave 13 or 16 oz worsted wool. Can you list them and give either a Phone # or a website? If not, then what 7 mills are you talking about?

[auld argonian]

I guess that one of the factors that I've been wondering about has to do with the price of the fabric....with all of the computerization of the weaving process wouldn't you expect the price of the raw material to be more reasonable? It's not like this stuff is still being woven on hand looms in the Highlands by native craftsmen (or crafts-wimmens), I'm sure that it's done in plants where they just have to change a couple of variables to go from one tartan to another. I accept the premise that wool can be priced in the "premium" range...and that wool blends come in a bit down the scale and so on through synthetics but is this a "we'll charge what the traffic will bear" attitude on the part of the weaving companies or is it snob-appeal or what?

I also accept the fact that the cost of a quality item is based on how much skilled labor is going into it...I certainly understand what kind of work goes into a hand made item and why some items HAVE TO BE done by hand in order to be done right. I don't see that any of the prices of any of the kiltmakers that I've seen discussions about here are the least bit out of line with the reality of producing a very special item. I have to admit, though, that the cost of the fabric sort of blows my mind.

best

auld argonian

[Archangel]

I guess that one of the factors that I've been wondering about has to do with the price of the fabric....with all of the computerization of the weaving process wouldn't you expect the price of the raw material to be more reasonable? It's not like this stuff is still being woven on hand looms in the Highlands by native craftsmen (or crafts-wimmens), I'm sure that it's done in plants where they just have to change a couple of variables to go from one tartan to another.
best

auld argonian

I've got to wonder if this is one of those areas we would know very little about and should be careful about jumping to conclusions. My wife has done weaving, I know very little. One thing I do know is that weaving patterns are a foundational part of the evolution of computer programming. The cards used in the industrial revolution became the cards of the 60s/70s. The point is that part was already in the cost so there would be no significant saving there.

[Sherry]

I've got to wonder if this is one of those areas we would know very little about and should be careful about jumping to conclusions. My wife has done weaving, I know very little. One thing I do know is that weaving patterns are a foundational part of the evolution of computer programming. The cards used in the industrial revolution became the cards of the 60s/70s. The point is that part was already in the cost so there would be no significant saving there.

I have been sewing since high school, & I find that working with high quality fabric is such a joy compared to lesser quality cloth. The tartan fabric used in trad kilts is very high quality. The weavers have somthing to be proud of.

Sherry

[Jimmy Carbomb]

I have been sewing since high school, & I find that working with high quality fabric is such a joy compared to lesser quality cloth. The tartan fabric used in trad kilts is very high quality.

Sherry, that's an OUTSTANDING point that often goes overlooked in this. There's NOTHING like the feel of that fine wool, the smell of it when it's first pressed, and the weight when it's shipped! I LOVE working with it. It bends easily in the hips... it holds thread like nothing... it presses like a dream... and it just drapes like nothing else can.

FreedomLover... that was a great post! I toured a relatively local mill that I'm dealing with, to get their techniques and quality assurance. The cost of that machinery and the programs must be staggering. Gee... I wonder how they pay for all that technology?