Cotton twill rigid pleats

[KiltedBishop]

Probably should have read more before I posted! LOL I agree a hot iron is bad if you are trying to soften, however to get a great crisp look it works spot on! The white workmans as I understand it is made with a heavy cotton, but not duc cloth so it is softer.

[Geoduck]

I just saw an old post on the UK website that recommended drying the workman's with 3 tennis balls to help soften the kilt up. Tumble dry, of course, no heat.

[Iolaus]

I just saw an old post on the UK website that recommended drying the workman's with 3 tennis balls to help soften the kilt up. Tumble dry, of course, no heat.

I remember seeing that suggestion too. I wonder what a couple o' dozen mouse balls would do?

...BESIDES beating the crap out of the inside of your dryer.

Maybe at the midnight coin-op wash-n-dry?

[beerbecue]

Golf balls..... just git yer ear plugs and turn up the TV......

[KiltedBishop]

FORE!

[Dreadbelly]

I used to toss a handfull of loose change into a drier to break in new denim.

Mayhap it would work on new kilts?

[Riverkilt]

Semper Fi!

This is like watching Heartbreak Ridge with Clint Eastwood studying up on supermarket check out line magazines to find a softer side and win back Marsha Mason...snivel..weep..so very touching that we're having an unofficial USMC laundry circle...tell me there's not a powerful God in the world...

My caramel/Carhardtt/solid camo here in the red rock country Workman's has softened up pretty well. I used the unscented Downey stuff and washed it in cold water about six times, then hung dry. I wear it a lot to hike and that's helped too...I'm sure its been sandblasted a bunch from blowing sand.

I've had that pleat fold thing too, but think it has more to do with the manner of construction than the softness of the fabric. Seems to happen to me when I'm at an AA meeting...get enough grief (though its moderating) from being kilted without having to reach down and straighten my pleats in the middle of a meeting....

Guess I need to watch Heartbreak Ridge again and get the names of those magazines...

Ron

[Blu (Ontario)]

Concrete is tough and durable... but we don't usually make furniture out of it. Similarly, this type of fabric was designed to be tough and durable - not a fabric choice one would expect to be particularly successful as a kilt. That's why I'm constantly amazed that kilts made from this stuff look as good as they do. I own one BTW. I've been through similar exercises so I understand what your talking about. Given the anecdotes above - (what could only be described as "post construction remedial measures") - it's unfortunate that these garments couldn't be constructed from pre-shrunk, pre-softened, pre-washed fabric. To me it only makes sense. Yah, I know... it would add to the cost of the kilt. Well all things considered, I think it would be worth it.

IMHO

[Yaish]

Well it is a fabric that a whole lot of garments are made from though, particularly garments that are made to survive the same sort of conditions the Workmans kilt was made to face.

Its our own stupid fault for wanting to wear it as daily wear that we find means and ways to soften it and make it more comfortable.

In the end it WAS made to be worked in and handle the rigors of a construction site.

[Dreadbelly]

On PBS I saw a show about volcanos, and there was a vulcanologist wearing what looked like a chocolately brown workmans UK. He was out on a simi hardened lava flow gathering samples. He had a lot more movement, and could move faster than his cargo-trooser wearing companion. Believe me, that's important. Stand still for to long and your boots smoulder. Both men carried a lot of gear and tools in their pockets. Kilt had a clear advantage with the gear it carried.

Walking through knee deep mud, the kilt had a clear advantage. Pants were caked in no time and bogged their wearer down considerably.

At the end of the show, the troosers were ruined. Several holes burned into them, hem around the ankles burned away, muddy, ripped from charging through a thicket, and one of the pockets was tore from a pick poking through it. The UK was battered. Muddy. Had some burns, but I didn't see any actual holes. I was rather amazed actually at the abuse done to the UK like garmet. (I never did get to see a rear shot to check for the UK logo, so I can't be 100% sure) Whatever it was, it was tougher than Hell. Literally. This guy was wearing some sort of socks, no idea what material, but they were toasted what ever they were.

End Score? Troosers toasted, kilt garmet survived. Ph.D.s and scientists tend to be pratical creatures, thank God. I see a future for the kilt.