It Has Arrived.

[Magnus Sporrano]

Greedy? Did you read the article? These finished sporrans from Pakistan and India are wholesaling for less than the raw materials would cost the Scottish craftsmen. It would be impossible for them to even break even at those prices.

[Colin]

I am just curious about all these "buy from home" comments, refering to kilts made overseas. I hope to buy a traditional Scottish kilt one day. Is that not overseas?

Not if it's made in North America.

But when you think of Celtic peoples, you think of the immigrants who found a new home in North America. Or stayed behind in the Old Country. Pakistan is nothing more than a cheap source of labor that can work more cheaply than the artisans of North America and the Celtic Nations who have been keeping their art alive for centuries. That way of life is threatened by cheap labor that otherwise has no vested interest in the Celtic community other than how many kilts & sporrans can they sell.

But it won't be a Scottish traditional than. There are numerous local Scottish shops in North America that sell kilts. I am willing to bet that the majority of them don't make those kilts. They send the orders off to kilt makers in Scotland to be made. The majority of kilt suppliers (local shoppers, internet suppliers) are more of a distributer than kiltmakers. Can you get a well made traditional style kilt in North America? Sure you can, but 9 out of 10 companies will likely import the tanks rather than make them on site.

Secondly the labour in Pakistan (or where ever) was already existing when North American companies came looking. After all there has been a demand for cheap products for tourists on the Royal Mile for ages.

Thirdly, the Celtic Nations are worldly, and immigration was not specifically to North America (right Graham!). After all, the Celts ruled a large part of Europe for a time, and there are still colonies in Northern Spain that are as Celtic as Ireland. Not I am not saying that I would prefer to buy from a Pakistan labour company over a Celtic artisan, the opposite in truth, but those Celtic artisans also utilize cheaper labour, so that they can make a profit too.

I just think we need to look more at the quality, price, and desirability of the product, rather than just wear it was made. When I was in Ireland, I bought my wife a lovelty Celtic hair clip. Upon turning it over, I found that it was made in France. Did I care, ........no, that merchant buy it for cheaper, and still made a profit off of me.

[Colin]

Interesting article on what asian imports are doing to our kilted cousins in Scotland.

Intersting article about the sporrans. While I do see the point the tradional craftsmans have, I think we can all admit that Highland wear is often extremely overpriced. This opens the market for cheaper alternatives. Personally when I decide to buy a nice dress sporran, I will pay out me **** for a quality product, but that is becuase I want the best. If you buy a cheaper alternative, you know it is not a comparison, but rather a money saving tactic. You get what you pay for.

[Raphael]

Greedy? Did you read the article? These finished sporrans from Pakistan and India are wholesaling for less than the raw materials would cost the Scottish craftsmen. It would be impossible for them to even break even at those prices.

Those Asian Imports are inexpensive and probably cannot compare to handmade Scottish Sporrans. Just because their are available in the wholsale market, that doesn't mean the shops in Scotlands has to buy them. No one forced them to make the purchases but themselves. These shop keepers are just watching out for their interests.

It is just capitalism. pure and simple. In a pure capitalistic society, merchants don't want to be regulated by the government and will do anything to keep their business afloat. They will only watch out for their own interset as they are not running charities. In the business world, we cannot let our passion and emotion get control of us. We have to give what the customers want.

[cavscout]

Jerry, Great job on the heavy weight kilt. It's all I can do to keep from ordering right now. My hesitation is the lack of tartan choice. I'll keep watching to see if any others become available. Anyway, Thanks for trying to meet the requests of this knowledgable group.

[MACKAY]

Anybody remember the Yugo? Cheap car, off-shore product, less than $4000 new, was going to sink the US car market, every one will have one, 100 miles to the gallon, when the ash tray is filled and the gas tank empty just throw it away and buy a new one!

They sold tons of them initially, but within two years were bankrupt because it was a cheap product. Same as the Korean Daewoo automobile line in the US, closed up shop and they don't sell (or service) them anymore after taking the US market by storm in 2000.

Sure you will sell some, you will make all kinds of waves, but sooner than later people (the market) realize that they are getting just what they paid for. JUNK! Same thing here. Just a matter of time before all of the 'interested' parties buy their cheap knockoff and hanker for the real thing IMHO.

The above rant was in no way directed specifically at SWK. Just an overall (biased) observation.

Brian Mackay

[bubba]

The fact is not everyone that wants a kilt can afford to drop $600 on a tank and for some of us even $300 is a hard stretch. Jerry and Stillwater Kilts is doing us a tremendous service with decent kilts, if limited choice, at prices we can handle without starving the dog or depriving the baby.

[Geoduck]

OK, no one let David see that article. ;) He'll realize that he's undercutting the market and have to raise his prices to an appropriate level.

[Iolaus]

If it wasn't hand-made by someone's grannie, sitting in a rocker next to the fire, under a thatch roofed stone cottage, deep in the highlands of Scotland, then it's just another knock-off.

So what's the problem with a cheaper knock-off?

Like someone said, we want something to just kick around in!

[eighties]

Dred - Thanks for very detailed review of the new Stillwater. It has helped me deceide that I'll be getting one when some additional tartan choices become available. The only reason I'm waiting for a different tartan, I already have a kilt in Black Watch. Had I known the heavyweights were comming I would have waited. Que serra serra I suppose.

Jerry - Thanks for bringing affordable kilt options to those of us who love them and can't afford taylored kilts for everyday use.

Ultimately, more men in kilts is what we're all about. Right?