Making and delivery times
The making time for your kilt, largely depends on the availability of the tartan you choose. It may be in stock at the mill, scheduled to weave meaning a 12 week turnaround, or anywhere in between.
We’d like 4-6 weeks where possible, so If you’re super organised, great! But we’ll try our best to accommodate your last minute panics too. Just ask.
Shipping
We ship Worldwide using Royal Mail or ParcelForce, with cost varying according to Country. This can be confirmed when processing your order. We are also happy to accommodate third party collections.
How to measure
A traditional kilt is made with a 2” rise – the top of the kilt sits 2” above the natural waist, and we would recommend the length to sit just on top of your knee cap.
It’s best to have someone take these measurements for you – while wearing a T-shirt or thin shirt, and loose shorts/underwear. Please relax, and look straight ahead.
For a quick online enquiry, please complete this form below. Don’t worry….we will contact you with any questions, and/or to confirm measurements and choices before proceeding with your order.
Normally, your kilt length will correspond with the following guides. If it's significantly different, try taking the measurements again. If it's slightly different, then it could be down to preference or body shape.
Height 5' 6" to 5' 7" = 22" to 22.5" kilt length
Height 5' 8 to 5' 9" = 23" to 23.5" kilt length
Height 5' 10" to 5' 11" = 24" to 24.5" kilt length
Height 6' to 6' 2" = 24.5" to 25.5" kilt length
Height 6' 3" to 6" 4" = 26" to 26.5" kilt length
Height 6' 5" to 6' 7" = 27" to 27.5" kilt length
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is a kilt?
There are several price brackets when dealing with tartan, mainly down to which mill weaves your choice of tartan & weight. The prices simply reflect the actual cost prices involved.
Each tartan is created and registered using individual thread counts and colours. When it comes to weaving however, each mill use their own interpretation of colours and sett size (repeat), so even the same tartan can look quite different from mill to mill.
Added to this, most tartans are woven in different versions (modern, ancient, hunting, muted or weathered), but not every mill produce every version of every tartan.
Confusing right? There’s more!
Weight - 13oz v 16oz
As a rule, the heavier the better. This is true if wearing the kilt relatively often as part of a pipe band for example – it looks great and the pleats will stay sharper for longer…pretty essential for most pipers and drummers! Medium weight will hold it’s shape well too though, and can be more comfortable to wear, especially in warmer climates. And occasionally you won’t even have the choice, if your tartan is only woven or available in one or the other.
Selvedge – traditional or tuck in?
Tartan is woven with a selvedge (finished edge). This allows kilts to be made without a hem, which can bulk the pleating.
A traditional selvedge is produced on a shuttle loom. This means the fabric is the same thickness right to the edge. Nowadays, only some 13oz cloth is still woven this way.
The alternative and most widely used now, is a tuck in selvedge. This means the threads are tucked back into the weave, to create a finished edge. Sometimes these threads can hang down, or poke through the edge, and the very bottom of the kilt can appear slightly thicker. It’s usually very subtle though, and rarely visible from any sort of distance.
How many pleats?
It’s impossible to predict accurately until we physically plan the kilt. The amount of pleats is largely determined by your measurements, and the size of the sett of your chosen tartan.
If we make an 8 yard kilt for someone with a 38” seat for example, there’s going to be more pleats than if made for someone with a 46” seat. Similarly, a tartan with a smaller sett (repeat) will give more pleats than one with a larger sett. As a rule, we’d aim to get between 22 and 32 pleats in every kilt, but can confirm this when we come to plan your kilt.
Pleating - to sett or stripe?
Most kilts are pleated to sett, meaning the pattern of the tartan is replicated in the pleats at the back. However, there are options (with most tartans), to choose a particular stripe or block, which would then be prominent down each pleat. This creates a very individual look, and we are more than happy to provide images showing the available options for your tartan.
