Information for tartan buyers

**Benning Boy** · 18th May 15, 08:42 AM

**Tobus** · 19th May 15, 12:32 PM

Originally Posted by Barb T

This is a good cautionary tale. Any mill will be happy to pop into the mail a twist of each of the available thread colors, plus reasonable alternates. So, you should always ask just to make sure that you and the mill are on the same page WRT colors.

This is invaluable advice, as it avoids misunderstandings or misrepresentations due to computer images. When I had a custom run of Reproduction Colquhoun K1 tartan cloth done a few years ago by DC Dalgliesh (commissioned through Barb T. for a custom kilt), she and I had talked about the colours. I had a pretty good idea of the colours based on seeing other peoples' kilt photos, but just to make sure, I was sent a swatch of a tartan in a similar Reproduction colourway (along with a twist of yarn of each colour, as I recall), just to make sure it was what I wanted. It did look slightly different in person, but it was just what I wanted, and we ordered it.

In retrospect, I think having a swatch of tartan in the same colour scheme (even though it was not the actual tartan I was ordering) was essential. While having the bits of yarn was helpful in seeing the colours live and in person, I doubt I would have been able to truly envision the completed tartan by just looking at some small twists of wool yarn. So I would recommend, based on my personal experience, that if you are going to commission a custom tartan, you might search or enquire about an existing tartan swatch that uses the same colours as well. It certainly couldn't hurt, and may give you a better idea about how the yarn colours work or interact when they're woven into the twill pattern. Obviously they won't have one exactly like you want, if you're after a tartan that doesn't exist in their inventory, but finding something similar for the swatch is better than nothing.

Multi-Tiered Pricing Schedules

Anyway, my custom tartan experience probably isn't the norm. At the time I did this, DC Dalgliesh did not stock certain clan tartans in Reproduction colours. So we went into it as a custom run, which would have to be single-width cloth. This was several years ago, so these prices are no longer valid, I'm sure. And a lot has changed with their business model. But at the time, I was quoted a price of 30GBP/yard if I ordered less than 15 yards, and 27GBP/yard for 15 yards or more. I actually needed about 14.5 yards. Since this was right under the minimum for the discounted price, it actually would have cost the same to bump it up to 16 yards, which came out to around $700USD at the time. I decided to do a bit extra and go with 18 yards.

Fortunately, before they actually did the custom run, they decided that they were going to start to stock certain clan tartans in Reproduction colours, starting with mine and a few others that were in the works. This meant that they would do large runs, changing to double-width cloth, and the price went way down. So by the time mine was woven, what I actually got was double-width cloth at 22GBP/yard. I ordered 9 yards worth, only 4 of which were needed for my kilt, and 5 extra yards for future projects.

So as you can see, there was quite a difference in price in the same tartan, depending on whether it was single-width custom runs (depending on how many yards they'd have to make), or double-width stock cloth (that they could make in large quantity). 30GBP/yard for single-width custom cloth (small run) versus 22 GBP/yard for double-width stock cloth is quite a difference. If you need help with the math, it means the single-width custom cloth was 2.72 times as much as the double-width stock cloth, based on equal square footage.

This is, of course, due to the incredible amount of time it takes them to set up the equipment for each run and get it going smoothly. I have no doubt that the pricing was as fair and honest as they could get it, and I was still willing to pay for the single-width custom cloth if it had been the only option available to me (which it was when I started the process). It was just good luck and good timing that they opted to make it a stock cloth when I placed the order.

We had the cloth sent directly to Barb T. for the kiltmaking process. She had warned me about getting hit with import duties, and I was prepared for it. Fortunately, that did not happen. It still amazes me that the system operates this way, where it's not equally applied, and just happens to run on dumb luck as to whether you get hit with a big bill to the government. But for whatever reason, fate was smiling on me. My 9 yards of double-width cloth at 22GBP/yard only cost me a true 198GBP, which was 440USD. Again, this was several years ago. By today's exchange rate it would only be a smidge over $300.

And that's an important lesson too. Exchange rates make all the difference in price. If you can be patient, even for several years, wait until exchange rates are favourable to you!

**CameronCat** · 19th May 15, 01:17 PM

Interesting thread and thanks for starting it.

Side question for Barb and any others with the knowledge: do the weaving (and dyeing) companies use or recognize the Pantone color scales and IDs? It would seem that using them could eliminate a lot of color
discussions during planning, i.e. "please match Pantone 17-0627" instead of "sort of a yellow-y olive but not too flat."

Pantone does have a separate catalog for "Fashion and Home" including references for dyed cotton.

Just wondering, and thanks!

**Barb T** · 19th May 15, 01:19 PM

I've never been offered that as an option, but, then again, I've never asked for a custom dyed thread color. I've always worked with the stock colors that a weaver offers.

**figheadair** · 19th May 15, 02:30 PM

Originally Posted by CameronCat

Interesting thread and thanks for starting it.

Side question for Barb and any others with the knowledge: do the weaving (and dyeing) companies use or recognize the Pantone color scales and IDs? It would seem that using them could eliminate a lot of color
discussions during planning, i.e. "please match Pantone 17-0627" instead of "sort of a yellow-y olive but not too flat."

Pantone does have a separate catalog for "Fashion and Home" including references for dyed cotton.

Just wondering, and thanks!

No, the weaving and dyeing companies don't seem to use Pantone references. It would indeed make like so much easier if they did.