The answers you've gotten so far are good. Yes, a traditional 8-yd knife pleat kilt, made from any of the heavier wool fabrics, has the many overlapping layers removed. That is replaced with special non-stretching canvas that protects from failure the delicate pleat stitching in the fell. The same applies to an 8-yd military box pleat kilt.
The word "traditional" is a slippery one, and has been discussed at length in earlier threads. If you were to ask any tartan kiltmaker outside of XMTS what kind of kilt they make, they would answer "traditional", meaning their materials and methods are the overwhelmingly predominant ones in use today - and for the last century or so.
However, the old military kilts of WWI and earlier were merely a few yards of single width wool (which felt like a horse blanket) issued to each man. Each foot soldier's training included sewing and maintaining his own kilt. The pleats were necessarily shallow, preventing excessive overlapping in the small of the back, although extra insulation in extreme conditions was always welcome. Those kilts were often undone, fabric turned, and remade - which could not be done if excess material was cut out.
A 4-yd box pleat has so little overlap in the fell that no excess needs be removed.
I imagine few kilts of modern styles, made from non-wool materials, have the overlaps removed. I do not remove any from my cotton or poly/cotton kilts.
"Listen Men.... You are no longer bound down to the unmanly dress of the Lowlander." 1782 Repeal.
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