Barb, HI!!! Nice to see you here!!!!!

Just to throw a small wrench into this.....

What of the large houses that sell not only kilts but other items of Scottish attire?

We have all seen their pricing, and many of us would agree that they are unreasonable (e.g., the recent thread concerning the closing of Scottish Lion).

Now if these retailers are making a profit on those items not produced by them, such as sporrans, belts, pins, brooches, etc., isn't it reasonable to assume that part of the labor cost of making kilts is offset by those profits?

I will be the first to admit that I have no head whatsoever for business. So I may be completely mistaken in my reasoning.

Bottom line I guess, is that if the major suppliers, i.e. Hector Russell, Burnetts & Strutch, The Kilt Store, are still charging real value for the kilts, and don't compensate for profits in other areas to lower costs, then custom kilts will never be inexpensive?

Something else I just crossed my mind. What of the kilts used in the rental business? I have been told by two retailers that these kilts are standardized in terms of sizing that is dependent upon waist size. In this scenario, shouldn't these kilts cost less to make because there is no custom sizing? This could mean kilt construction that is akin to jeans, trousers, etc. Standardized sizing should make the process faster and ultimately cheaper, no?

On another note, even making kilts for myself, I have been limited by buying remnant fabric, because I really can't afford retail.

Just my two cents to what has been a fascinating topic.