Local made or import from Scotland?

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

The truth is that your fabric is probably already sitting in a warehouse in Barrie,ON.
Burnett's & Struth are the Canadian offices of the Lochcarron Woolen Mills. Almost everyone in Canada who orders fabric from Lochcarron is supplied from the Canadian warehouse. Most shops who order fabric from Lochcarron and do not have a kiltmaker have the work done by Burnett's & Struth.

Knowing where your fabric is woven is a good thing, but knowing who your kiltmaker is, is far more important. There are good kiltmakers and there are poor kiltmakers. This is just as true for Canada as it is for Scotland.

The kilt is a had tailored garment. (this is still true regardless if it is machine or hand sewn) It is made from one long length of fabric that is folded and sewn, not from a pattern placed over the fabric, cut out, and sewn on the dotted lines.

I suggest you call your shop and inquire who it is that will actually be making your kilt. If you do not get a good answer seek out a kiltmaker on your own. Look at examples of their work. Talk to them. Have them measure you. Talk to them about pleating styles and pleating to the Sett vs pleating to the stripe. Query them about stabilizers and interfacings.

I assume you just laid down a sizable amount of money for your kilt. You have the right to get what you just paid for.

*** The absolutely best advice you could hope to receive.

[matt.mackinnon]

Something that has to be mentioned. Even here on XMarks there is a certain perceived notion that a kilt is somehow better for having been made in Scotland and that other kilts (no matter how good they are) are somehow inferior. That they are the 'real' thing, rather than second best.

I am not denying it to be the truth you speak, but I wonder why such hard lines are cut? It would make more sense if the argument was that if the tartan fabric is not made in Scotland then it can't be called a Scottish kilt. But do they follow the argument that if the kilt maker who is living in Scotland has to have been born there for it to be a proper kilt? It just seems such a funny arbitrary rule to have.

[matt.mackinnon]

Well after the back and forth with the shop that I had put my deposit down with, I have been back to them and cancelled the order. Not to give the idea that this was a flippant decision on my part. It was based on several factors.

1. When I originally ordered the kilt from them, I was told that it was going to be made here in Canada by their kilt maker, and they showed me her work and sold it as such. I gave a deposit to order the fabric and start the process.
2. Bad communication on their part as they decided to change the order to being made in Scotland without prior notice to me. I found out when I called them 3 days later and asked if the fabric was ordered and was told that they needed me to come back in to get better measurements. It was in the store they said that they wanted to have it made in Scotland, but not to worry, it would be made to their specs and standards.
3. The price seemed to constantly slide upwards as items that were initially inferred to be included suddenly had an added cost. for example, A dress sporran was included, but when you picked one, it came with an added cost.

Some of these can be just from bad communication in I didn't have a written sales sheet spelling out every item I was buying, but rather was told we can deal with it later. I may have totally miss understood what was being offered as we talked about many different options and one may have drifted into another.


But I hold no hard feeling against the store and they issued a refund without hesitation or complaint. And in the end I did by a street kilt from them for what I thought was a very reasonable price and I am very happy with it.

I am placing an order for 2 more kilts and some additional kit with John and I am sure he will take care of me as he has for many others here.

Matt

[seanachie]

I'm much happier with the kilt made by Keltoi after he measured me himself than I am with the one made in Scotland after they measured me... and I then had to wait and hope they got it right... which they didn't... and John had to rebuild it for me. Always better when you can look the kiltmaker in the eye, and more to the point s/he has to face you and stand behind their product when you try it on and stand in it.

I'll work with John again. I'll not order from away ever again.

I think the good Reverend is correct here. John Hart is a wonderful kiltmaker, takes great pride in his work and quality of product, extremely helpful with questions and a very nice guy. This in no way disparages any other kiltmaker here or elsewhere but he is in your general area. The technical issues with kilt construction such as stabilizers, pleats properly cut out etc. are all part of my kilts from Keltoi.

[Jock Scot]

Something that has to be mentioned. Even here on XMarks there is a certain perceived notion that a kilt is somehow better for having been made in Scotland and that other kilts (no matter how good they are) are somehow inferior. That they are the 'real' thing, rather than second best.

I am not saying that this is right, because I don't believe it. But, be aware, that there is an undercurrent that does believe it.
Regards

Chas

I don't believe it either. However, I can't say that I recall those sentiments you mention being voiced here, though.

[creagdhubh]

I don't believe it either. However, I can't say that I recall those sentiments you mention being voiced here, though.

Nor do I, but in any rate, I am in agreement with you and Chas.

[JohntheBiker]

Well after the back and forth with the shop that I had put my deposit down with, I have been back to them and cancelled the order. Not to give the idea that this was a flippant decision on my part. It was based on several factors.

1. When I originally ordered the kilt from them, I was told that it was going to be made here in Canada by their kilt maker, and they showed me her work and sold it as such. I gave a deposit to order the fabric and start the process.
2. Bad communication on their part as they decided to change the order to being made in Scotland without prior notice to me. I found out when I called them 3 days later and asked if the fabric was ordered and was told that they needed me to come back in to get better measurements. It was in the store they said that they wanted to have it made in Scotland, but not to worry, it would be made to their specs and standards.
3. The price seemed to constantly slide upwards as items that were initially inferred to be included suddenly had an added cost. for example, A dress sporran was included, but when you picked one, it came with an added cost.

Some of these can be just from bad communication in I didn't have a written sales sheet spelling out every item I was buying, but rather was told we can deal with it later. I may have totally miss understood what was being offered as we talked about many different options and one may have drifted into another.


But I hold no hard feeling against the store and they issued a refund without hesitation or complaint. And in the end I did by a street kilt from them for what I thought was a very reasonable price and I am very happy with it.

I am placing an order for 2 more kilts and some additional kit with John and I am sure he will take care of me as he has for many others here.

Matt

I am sorry that you had the experience that you did. I have dealt with them for almost a decade and haven't had any issues. I certainly wouldn't have recommended them if I didn't think they were capable of delivering quality service. One thing that they did for me years ago, was get me interested in the Toronto St. Andrews Ball. You might want to check it out.

Hope things work out with John.

[matt.mackinnon]

I hold no bad will with Cairngorm. It was just an unfortunate series of events that happened. I wouldn't have bought anything from them if I had.

I did think about the Toronto St. Andrews Ball, but I don't know if it's the thing for me. Maybe when I have a few years of kilts under my belt, then I might be in a better position to go.

[Jay]

Burnett's is only 1 hr from Oakville.

Just drive up there. Be measured. They make it on site from existing inventory. They alter their own work if necessary.

Because they made it, they know how to affect future alterations if you gain or lose weight. They also have a dry cleaner lined up that knows how to properly clean and press kilts.

As far as the Scottish thing, all the ladies there seem to have Scottish accents.

[Mike_Oettle]

This thread is almost a litany of problems occurring when North Americans have ordered kilts in their own country which have then been made (badly) in Scotland.
Since I expect in the near future to order a kilt from Scotland (through Scotweb) I am wondering whether this will be the best course to follow.
The problem in South Africa is that there are not nearly as many kilt makers around, and the only two I know of deal solely in four-yard kilts. So since my new kilt will be an eight-yarder, it seemed logical to have it made in Scotland.
An additional reason for using a Scottish kilt maker is that my wife does not think my South African kilts are properly made, and I want to be able to say: “This is the way my kilt was made in Scotland.”
Do our resident experts have any advice for me?
Regards,
Mike