Wool vs Polyviscose...am I being a snob?

[O'Searcaigh]

Wool!

[David Thorpe]

Wool and PV both have their place, IMHO. I have both. MM PV is indistinguishable from light to medium wool except at very close range by an expert. It does feel different - no scratch whatsoever and a bit firmer than wool of the same weight.
As others have said, there are kilts being sold as PV which are nothing of the kind. I have a cheapo Pakistani "PV" from Heritage of Scotland which I believe is most likely 16-ounce poly-cotton. It doesn't "swing" like wool or PV. I use it as a knock-around-the-house "jeans kilt".
I have never had an acrylic kilt and never plan to buy one. I had an acrylic plaid shirt once and didn't care for it. Staticy, scratchy and prone to pilling, it met an early demise in a closet culling.

[be da veva]

I bought three ''PV'' kilts at the same time, They didn't have the same stiffness.
The green (Heritage of Ireland) one was very stiff, almost cardboard like.
The blue (Douglas) one was the same as my wool kilts.
The grey (Thompson Grey) one was very limp, approx. sweatpants like


I also have an acrylic kilt and one USAK casual. The acrylic one feels fuzzy and coarse and pills, the USAK casual is (I believe...) made from MM PV. It's fine getting out of the shower or the pool, but that is pretty much it. None have the same texture of the abovementionned ''PV'' kilts.
I prefer my wool kilts (great in any seasons) and will probably never own another kilt made of ''PV'' or acrylic. (All of the above are for sale BTW except the Heritage of Ireland(already sold)PM me for more info)

[Riverkilt]

You are so screwed. Utilikilts were my "gateway drug" too.

Just buy a whole bunch of wool kilts and a whole bunch of PV kilts and be done with it....gonna happen anyway...might as well start now...get it over with...

[gordontaos]

My first kilt was a hand sewn 16oz. by Kathy Lare. However at $500+ you don't really want to cook while wearing it.
My next was a 5 yd casual by Locharron, but at $300+ its still a little nice to be cooking in.
Then came my USA Kilts semi trad. At $200+ and coated in teflon I really do not mind throwing on an apron over it while cooking, and its great when the temperatures go up above 90F.
They are all good and all have their uses.

[tundramanq]

*** But Ron didn't mention leather? He is better a staying on topic than I.
If you are living in kilts and doing non greasy dirty things (work - mind out of the gutter) the MM PV is my choice in the heat. Was moving some edging in the yard today in my USAK casual PV - covered with dirt then mud as I set in the edging. Tossed in the wash and hung it to dry - no problem. This is the biggest difference I see between MM PV and same weight and pleat wool. Both seem cool on the heat, wool (and longer hems) is better in the cold.

For the rough treatment I give em in every day life I prefer the MM PV. The cotton and cotton/poly Utilikilts are for the oily and greasy work or work needing to carry things where a sporran is in the way and I need a wallet.

Pick the tool for the job. If you are going to get it dirty a lot wool is out for daily use - the cleaning bills will choke a horse and they will mangle the pleats.

[Friday]

IMHO, every time I see this topic come up the first thing that comes to mind is "What are you going to be doing when you wear your kilt?" If you are hiking the Appalachian Trail wool may be appropriate. However, it you are working to clear the trail, cutting brush, clearing dead falls, or working on trail repair I think I would prefer a nice Polyester Viscus (PV) kilt. At the end of the day you can walk into the lake wash both you and the kilt until the smell and dirt go away. Walk out of the lake smooth the pleats back into shape and in an hour be dry. I don't think I want to do this in a $250 and up wool kilt.

If I were working in a store or office wool would work very well. I believe that Cotton, Acrylic, PV and wool kilts all are excellent and have there place. In my closet I have a number of jackets, some for spring and fall wear, some for winter wear, suit jackets and even a Prince Charlie (PC) which is better? I don't think I would mow the lawn in the PC or wear the light weight multicolor nylon spring jacket to a formal affair. It is nice to have multiple choices so I can pick the appropriate kilt for the activity I am about to be involved in.

[OC Richard]

I bought three ''PV'' kilts at the same time, They didn't have the same stiffness.
The green (Heritage of Ireland) one was very stiff, almost cardboard like.
The blue (Douglas) one was the same as my wool kilts.
The grey (Thompson Grey) one was very limp, approx. sweatpants like

It would be interesting to find out exactly what these three fabrics are. Are any of them the MM PV?

I'm on the touchline on this subject... when I started kiltwearing in the 70's there was only one sort of kilt AFAIK: a handsewn 7 to 8 yard kilt made of wool traditional kilting cloth, and that's all that I've ever owned, or ever intend to own. No Utilikilt "gateway" or PV or what have you. As a piper, I only wear kilts to play pipes, so having a kilt to do dirty greasy etc work isn't a factor. Perhaps it's being a snob, or a traditionalist, or whatever, but non-traditional kilts don't interest me.

[WVHighlander]

when my wife does not want to wear her diamond ring, she has a cubic zirconia that she calls her "stunt ring." i think of my p/v kilts as my "stunt kilts."

Stunt kilt! I love it. I am going to use that in the future.

[Spartan Tartan]

The OP is asking if preferring wool is akin to being a snob. Of course not. Preferences are just that. The OP is not asking for a kilt for all occasions. So wearing it in the garage or out hiking are irrelevant...no matter the intended use the question was "am I a snob for preferring wool?" The simple answer is NO.

Kilt on brother... wear whatever you choose, however you desire. Wool, PV, Acrylic or otherwise....wear WHATEVER you prefer.