Does a difference in mills affect the kilt?

[The Wizard of BC]

Let's talk selvedge for a moment as it was brought up.

Some mills with the older looms produce a true selvedge and the mills with rapier looms produce a tuck selvedge.

For example - House Of Edgar can produce a true kilt selvedge as can Andrew Elliot. The mills with more modern looms such as Lochcarron and Marton Mills produce a tuck selvedge.

The newer looms can have a tighter tension on the warp and weft yarns, so in very general terms, the more modern rapier looms produce a straighter selvedge than the older shuttle looms with a looser tension.



Then there is the hand or feel of the fabric which is very variable between fabrics and can be due to a lot of different things.

The yarn is one variable. What type of sheep? The tightness or looseness of the twist. Even a different color on the same base yarn can cause a different feel to the fabric.

The type of loom can cause differences. In general - older shuttle looms produce a looser weave and modern rapier looms produce a tighter weave. This is usually due to the tension that the modern looms can exert on the warp and weft.

How hard the loom beats the yarns each time, condensing the yarns tighter, can have a huge difference in the hand of the fabric.

The type of Twill can cause huge differences but this can usually be put aside as the majority of kilt fabric is woven as a 2x2 Twill.

But, the finishing of the fabric after it is woven has perhaps the most effect on the finished feel of the fabric in your hand.
Very few weaving mills finish the fabric they weave. Most send their fabric out to a different company for finishing.
The process of finishing fabric is a art all of its own. The machines, the chemicals, the processes the fabric is put through all effect the final product.


So, yes, each mill will have a different and unique feel in your hand. Some will feel more flexible and some less. Some will feel smoother and some more 'pebbly' on the surface.
Some will have a softer, brushed feel and some not.

It all comes down to the kiltmakers preference.

How does the fabric feel, take and hold a crease, the selvedge, and the 'suppleness' of the swish are all things that a kiltmaker looks for in a fabric.

I personally prefer Marton Mills fabric over any other. Other kiltmakers have a preference for different mills. And that is what makes one kilt totally different from another.

I prefer a dead straight selvedge but will accept a tuck selvedge to get straight.

I also prefer a fabric which will crease razor sharp and hold a crease for a longer time. (just a note - Merino wool, while prized for the fineness of the individual strands, does not seem to me to hold a crease as well as some other wool breeds.)

I also prefer a fabric with a slightly softer, brushed surface over a harder or more pebbly surface.