I think the crux of the issue is information, as a couple of people have pointed up already. There is, and will continue to be, a market for those of us who want lighter weight, less expensive kilts. There is, and will continue to be, a market for those of us who want heavier, more expensive kilts.

The trouble comes when people are buying one, thinking they're getting the other. Now, it would be great if everyone who was interested in kilts would take the time to do some investigation and find out what quality is, and how to find it. It would be great if everyone who was interested in kilts would look up X-Marks, and identify what they wanted, and how to get it. Unfortunately, that's not going to happen.

So, what can be done about it? It seems to me that a standard of labeling would be a great start. Personally, I'm glad that, in the next few months, I'm going to have a Matt Newsome kilt, which, if it were labeled as some folks have proposed, would say "Hand-sewn in the United States of Scottish Wool." I'm also going to have a kilt by Rocky, which would be labeled "Machine-sewn in the United States of Canadian Poly-Viscose." And I'll be proud to wear them. But that doesn't mean that I'm less proud, or less likely to wear my "Machine sewn in Pakistan of Pakistani Acrylic" kilts.

I'll know which is which, but most of the people looking at me? No clue.