Wool and linen in kilts

[SandyB]

I searched a bit through the forums & couldn't find a definitive answer: is linen used at all in the making of a kilt? I ask because as an orthodox Jew, I cannot wear a garment containing wool and linen (shatnez). My husband has a loaner kilt from his pipe band & there's a loosely woven fabric on the underside of the lining that looks like a loose linen weave.

Thanks,
Sandy

[Tobus]

Usually that's canvas in the lining.

[HeathBar]

I have seen some kilts use a heavy canvas as the support structure for the kilt. But traditionally a hair canvas is used which contains a mixture of hair and fibers to create the stiffness. I suppose it could contain some linen in its content. Is it just the combination of wool and linen that is forbidden?

Edit:

I have looked at two different hair canvas contents and none mentioned linen. It was usually wool and goat hair, or polyester, wool, cotton, and hair. The hair is usually goat and or horse.

[Hothir Ethelnor]

Usually the lining is cotton. (at least that's what I use and what the Art of Kiltmaking recommends.)

If someone makes you a kilt you can ask them if they line it with linen or not and request a cotton lining.

[SandyB]

Yes - it's only the combination of wool & linen. Wool & cotton is not a problem.

[The Wizard of BC]

SandyB,

It would be extremely unusual to find Linen in a Kilt. The material you see inside the Kilt is called hair canvas. But it is very unlikely that it contains any animal or plant fibers at all. If the Kilt is less than ten years old it is almost exclusively synthetic fibers. It is there as a strengthener.
Some old Kilts use a canvas of cotton or burlap (which is Hemp).

As I understand it, (and please understand that I am not a Rabbi or making any claim of knowing Rabbinical Law) Jewish law forbids the weaving of both Wool and Linen together. It may not be a violation to wear two garments, one of Wool and one of Linen, as long as each is 100% one or the other fiber.

And as a side note both the Jewish and Rabbinical Tartans are woven in accordance with Jewish Law and carry Kosher certification.

The single best way to tell what content a garment is made from is a burn test. Here is a copy of one such test.

Burn Test - CAUTION. WARNING. BE CAREFUL! This should only be done by skilled burners! Make sure there is a bucket of water nearby and that you burn in a metal bucket or non-plastic sink.
To identify fabric that is unknown, a simple burn test can be done to determine if the fabric is a natural fiber, man made fiber, or a blend of natural and man made fibers. The burn test is used by many fabric stores and designers and takes practice to determine the exact fiber content. However, an inexperienced person can still determine the difference between many fibers to "narrow" the choices down to natural or man made fibers. This elimination process will give information necessary to decide the care of the fabric.
WARNING: All fibers will burn! Asbestos treated fibers are, for the most part fire proof. The burning test should be done with caution. Use a small piece of fabric only. Hold the fabric with tweezers, not your fingers. Burn over a metal dish with soda in the bottom or even water in the bottom of the dish. Some fabrics will ignite and melt. The result is burning drips which can adhere to fabric or skin and cause a serious burn.
Cotton is a plant fiber. When ignited it burns with a steady flame and smells like burning leaves. The ash left is easily crumbled. Small samples of burning cotton can be blown out as you would a candle.
Linen is also a plant fiber but different from cotton in that the individual plant fibers which make up the yarn are long where cotton fibers are short. Linen takes longer to ignite. The fabric closest to the ash is very brittle. Linen is easily extinguished by blowing on it as you would a candle.
Silk is a protein fiber and usually burns readily, not necessarily with a steady flame, and smells like burning hair. The ash is easily crumbled. Silk samples are not as easily extinguished as cotton or linen.
Wool is also a protein fiber but is harder to ignite than silk as the individual "hair" fibers are shorter than silk and the weave of the fabrics is generally looser than with silk. The flame is steady but more difficult to keep burning. The smell of burning wool is like burning hair.
Man Made Fibers
Acetate is made from cellulose (wood fibers), technically cellulose acetate. Acetate burns readily with a flickering flame that cannot be easily extinguished. The burning cellulose drips and leaves a hard ash. The smell is similar to burning wood chips.
Acrylic technically acrylonitrile is made from natural gas and petroleum. Acrylics burn readily due to the fiber content and the lofty, air filled pockets. A match or cigarette dropped on an acrylic blanket can ignite the fabric which will burn rapidly unless extinguished. The ash is hard. The smell is acrid or harsh.
Nylon is a polyamide made from petroleum. Nylon melts and then burns rapidly if the flame remains on the melted fiber. If you can keep the flame on the melting nylon, it smells like burning plastic.
Polyester is a polymer produced from coal, air, water, and petroleum products. Polyester melts and burns at the same time, the melting, burning ash can bond quickly to any surface it drips on including skin. The smoke from polyester is black with a sweetish smell. The extinguished ash is hard.
Rayon is a regenerated cellulose fiber which is almost pure cellulose. Rayon burns rapidly and leaves only a slight ash. The burning smell is close to burning leaves.
Blends consist of two or more fibers and, ideally, are supposed to take on the characteristics of each fiber in the blend. The burning test can be used but the fabric content will be an assumption.

Linen fibers won't shrink from the flame, will burn with a yellow flame while in it, continues to burn when the flame is removed, and smells like burning paper. There is a little grey ash residue after extinguishing. Cotton reacts much the same, because they are both cellulose, but cotton has much shorter, limper fibers. Practice with a little of each known fiber to get a feel for the difference.

[Semiomniscient]

I think my lining is made with silk. I think you would simply ask your kilt maker to make the lining out of whatever you wanted (explaining your reasoning too) and he/she would be happy to accomodate you.

[Paul Henry]

just a thought, sometimes kilt makers use a heavier thread to sew on the buckles or perahps the steeking, sometimes this might be a button hole thread which sometimes is a fine linen thread.
Yes I know there are lots of sometimes. but if it is important to you, it's best to ask the kiltmaker fo aevery detail of cinstruction

[Tartan Tess]

Another reason to buy a kilt from a real live human that you can talk to before hand

[QMcK]

The lining will be just stitched to the kilt, not woven to it. No problem. What's the reason to not combine linen and wool?