Great Highlandwear-A review.

[Monkey@Arms]

I am wondering about the statement that their kilts are actually made from four yards of double wide material and thus their eight yard kilt has a seam hidden in the pleats. Do other kiltmakers do this?

Yes, this one of the normal way of constructing a kilt, including those handmade by high end kiltmakers.

Best regards,

Jake

[ForresterModern]

Yup. If the tartan comes in double width (56 inches or wider generally) virtually every kiltmaker around will order 4 yds then split it into halves, rotate the upper half to line up with the lower then sew the two pieces together before building the 8 yd kilt, and hide the joint seam in one of the pleats. SOP.

Doesn't work for the occasional asymmetric tartan like the Maple Leaf, in which case you have to have 8 running yards of material of either single or double width to make one kilt. If you have 8 yds of asymmetric tartan and make one 8 yd kilt there will be an 8 yd remnant that has the tartan inverted in direction compared to the first kilt made from the other half.

If the fabric only comes as single width then you need 8 running yards, give or take, and there should be no seam to hide.

Same holds true for 4 yd kilts---i.e., you can make a 4 yd kilt out of 2 yds of double width material by splitting it, joining it, and hiding the seam in the pleats.

[The Wizard of BC]

Scotch Master,

I do not want to hijack this thread from its intended review of a product from Great Highlandwear but a question was asked that I happen to know the answer to.

Great Highlandwear is not the same company as L&M Highland Outfitters.

L&M Highland Outfitters is physically located in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada.
All the products offered by them are made by them in Nova Scotia.
They are one of the premier makers of Highland Leather Wear.
They do not sell retail. They sell wholesale to shops all over the world such as The Scottish Tartans Museum and myself at Freedom Kilts.
All the product listed and pictured on their website is the actual product they make and is exactly what you will get.

A retailer of products produced by L&M Highland Outfitters are rightfully proud and will tell you in no uncertain terms where and my whom the product you will get are made.
Pictures of products lifted from the website of L&M Highland Outfitters and used by other companies in an attempt to pass them off as their own are usually stolen.

[scotchmaster]

Scotch Master,

I do not want to hijack this thread from its intended review of a product from Great Highlandwear but a question was asked that I happen to know the answer to.

Great Highlandwear is not the same company as L&M Highland Outfitters.

L&M Highland Outfitters is physically located in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada.
All the products offered by them are made by them in Nova Scotia.
They are one of the premier makers of Highland Leather Wear.
They do not sell retail. They sell wholesale to shops all over the world such as The Scottish Tartans Museum and myself at Freedom Kilts.
All the product listed and pictured on their website is the actual product they make and is exactly what you will get.

A retailer of products produced by L&M Highland Outfitters are rightfully proud and will tell you in no uncertain terms where and my whom the product you will get are made.
Pictures of products lifted from the website of L&M Highland Outfitters and used by other companies in an attempt to pass them off as their own are usually stolen.

I did not mean to infer they were the same. I just don't think them to be of any better quality than any other manufacturer no matter where they are located. I own an L&M sporran and think it is on par with products I have bought made in other countries. I feel some here on this site believe that some producers here are the end all be all because of where they are located and it just isn't so.

Because a product is made somewhere doesn't mean its quality is good or bad. The product should be judged on it merit not location of production.

I am not comfortable here on this soapbox so I am going to step off it now and I have said my peice.

[NorCalPiper]

Yeah.... Those are typical Pakistani made sporrans. Its my understanding that there is only one outfit making them of which they sell to the other various vendors in Sialkot. Those 2 styles of sporrans litter ebay. That being said, if you like them, then its a good deal 99.9 % of the populace couldn't tell the difference between that and an L&M!

Also- L&M do make their sporrans in house. There's a neat youtube video of them at work!

[slohairt]

I don't think the people are claiming quality and merit based on location, more like said location's working conditions and socio-political climate. In all things, I try to avoid buying products made in questionable countries. Unfortunately that is becoming increasingly difficult. Highland regalia is still one of those areas where you do have a choice.

[rjpowell]

Were there any customs charges?

I am thinking about getting a few items - the shipping charges are a bit steep and wouldn't want any surprise charges springing up when the package arrives.

Rick

[The Kilted Reverend]

I did not have any to pay.

Slainte,
Rev.

[bricelythgoe]

Just visited their website. Pretty interesting. I would not buy their kilts, however. Although they let you choose width and length, with out other specific measurements, it is just another off-the-rack kilt (which typically don't fit me.)

Brice