Storing kilts

[wsk]

I have a small business that processes natural fibers for fiber artists and handspinners. The clothing moth is a common topic of conversation.

Clothing moths and their larvae (which do the actual damage) do not like light so a dark closet hung full of wool kilts is a perfect haunt - especially since kilts offer even darker hiding places under pleats. Clothing moths are attracted to the scent of the lanolins, body oils, suint, etc in wool. For this reason, lavender sachets, cedar, etc are used by some to mask the natural attractants. From my reading on the topic, the efficacy of the sachets has not yet been confirmed but it smells nice and can't hurt. Clean wool is not as attractive to a clothing moth as a freshly shorn fleece in a wool pack. Your sweat and body oils will also attract the moths to your kilts.

So, the recommendations that I can make are:

1. wear your wool kilts regularly;
2. keep the closet door open and periodically move your kilts around (see number 1) paying close attention to the areas under the pleats;
3. for longer term storage put them in a tightly sealed chest - doesn't have to be cedar (store only cleaned wool in the chest).

[Hamish]

Ok Gil, this is what I do.

Firstly ALL my kilts are hung. I did use the wooden bar clamp-style hangers but can no longer get the extra long ones. Instead, I found a source of extra strong metal clip hangers which are exactly the correct length - although these have ony two clips, one at each end, they are strong enough to take a full 8 yard, 16oz traditional without sagging. I fold the kilts more or less as if I were wearing them: all the pleats on one side, with the two aprons folded over each other on the other. I make sure all the straps and buckles are done up too.

Each kilt, on its hanger, is then placed inside a transparent polythene clothes bag. The hanger hook protrudes through a small hole in the centre of the sealed top seam, whilst the bottom end of the bag is cut off so that it is entirely open, thus allowing the kilt within to breathe.

My most expensive hand-sewn woollen kilts are then hung in a 5' wide closed wardrobe, with Lavender bags hung amongst them. All my other kilts: USA Kilts, Freedom Kilts, R-Kilts, Albanach.com kilt, Utilikilts, Union Kilts, Bear Kilts, Amerikilts, Kinloch Anderson Breacans, KiltStore kilts, Wales Tartan Centre kilt, NeoKilt, etc. are stored in the same poythene, open-ended bags but are hung on two 7' long, wheeled garment rails, and one 4' wheeled rail (all of which are now getting rather full!)

The polythene bags not only protect the kilts from dust, etc. but they also protect each kilt from its neighbour in that the pleats do not become caught on the kilt next to it. Most of the polythene bags are clear but my 'archived kilts (ie: those that I most certainly cannot get into any more) are hung in green, but still transparent, bags.

I already have a card-index system whereby every kilt is recorded with as much information as I can muster, but I am also thinking seriously about numbering each one to aid identification in the event of my sudden departure from this mortal coil. I have a photo CD for every kilt (one or two now require two disks!) and every new photo of a particular kilt is stored on its appropriate disk.

My day jackets, kilt-suit jackets, PC and doublets are stored in the same manner as the kilts and have their own wardrobe, which is now almost at bursting point.

More information there than you requested, Gil, but I thought you and others might be interested in how The Kollection is kept.