Poly/Viscose Acrylic Kilts

[Climbermac]

I need a bit of advice,

I am buying a kilt for my best man to wear at my wedding. Now I'd love to buy him a full 8 yard wool kilt but I'm afraid that my wallet is a fair bit stretched by the wedding as a whole, let alone my own attire. He is Irish by descent, and I have no desire to make him wear my tartan. I've been eying Irish National or Irish Heritage. I own a heavyweight from Stillwater, it's a fine kilt, and I see they do a Poly Irish National. I've also seen a few others around within my price range. My question is: what am I getting myself into? I do not own a synthetic kilt and know very little about them. I want something that can stand next to my hand sewn 8 yard 16oz wool kilt and not look like junk. I'd rather it be 8 yards and 16oz as well but it doesn't have to be. I'd also rather keep it in the realm of 200 dollars. I'd really appreciate any input, suggestions or ideas. Thanks in advance to all, and thanks to all for the kind welcome.

Cheers,

Joshua C. McIntosh

[McMurdo]

Might I suggest a 5 yard Casual Kilt? Burnett's and Struth are having their Casual Kilt sale right now so a made to measure 16oz 5 yard kilt is $199.00 Canadian.
They have the Ancient Galloway Hunting which may just be the ticket. Here is the link
http://www.burnetts-struth.com/produ...oducts_id=1222

[slohairt]

You should also be aware that Polyester-Viscose and Acrylic are two very different fabrics.

[DTrain]

I would suggest an Irish National from Stillwater Kilts, the Standard model. It is well within your stated price range and approx an 8yd kilt with heavyweight acrylic fabric. I don't know the weight but it seems to be similar to 16 oz wool. If VERY CLOSELY inspected or dissected, the differences between your handsewn wool tank and the Stillwater Irish National Standard model would be noticed. To a casual observer, it will be hard to distinguish a difference. Will you and he be happy with that fact?

I think it would look fine and handsome. By the way, I own one in that tartan and I think it dresses up nicely. (dresses down well, too)

As an alternative, USA KILTS has a semi-trad model and offers Irish National. These are made to measure and approximately your price range. Rocky is excellent to work with.

Or ScottishKilts.net has an Irish-American tartan. I have heard good things about their kilts but have no personal experience.

[Climbermac]

That's a fine start,

I forgot to add, my Fiancee has obviously approved of my tartan to her color scheme. So here is a swatch, ideally she'd like me to find my best man a tartan that is "close". It's not that we need to match, I think she's more after it not being two totally different tartans.



Thanks,

Joshua C. McIntosh

[SteveB]

Joshua,
Check out the tartans in USA Kilts semi traditional line. Hard to tell from a woolie, and close to your price range, depending on your best man's hip size. I think the MacQueen tartan is about as close as you will get, but check them all out.

Slainte

[The Wizard of BC]

I'm going to second and re-enforce the reminder from slohairt.

Polyester/Viscos, aka P/V is a blend of Polyester and Rayon. When woven by the Marton Mills Weaving Co. in Otley it is a wonderful fabric. Stain resistant, virtually permanent pleats, and virtually wrinkle free. The Tartans are exact to the thread count. The fabric is 12oz in weight and the swish can rival good Kilt wool. And they are a wonderful company to work with.

The Kilts that are made in Pakistan, China, and elswhere are for the most part woven from Acrylic. Now, there is nothing wrong with Acrylic. In fact if spun correctly it has the potential to be the most Wool like of all the synthetics.
But most weavers of Acrylic produce a fabric that feels more like polar fleece or cotton. Some of the companies are not totally upfront in their advertising and try to use such phrases as "Designed in Scotland" to imply that what they make is an actual full yardage and weight Kilt.
Many Acrylic fabrics out there today are in the 8-10oz range.

So, spend some time looking through the threads here and get an education before you invest in any Kilt.

As long as you know what you are buying and are happy with it, good.

But it is a shame that some companies advertising practices leave a bad taste in the mouth and spoil it for those who deal straight with their customers.

[kennethrmc]

Greetings Climbermac

And I am also a McIntosh, so I love your clan crest and hunting tartan swatch

I'm going to tell you two things that will be at odds, but I figure it never hurts to have too much information.

(1) Frugal Corner does sell an acrylic kilt that is quality-identical to SWK, and they make 'em in McIntosh hunting tartan. So you could more-or-less match tartans inexpensively.

(2) I really dislike acrylic kilts, which is why I would not personally buy the FC kilts even if they are in my clan tartan. I own a SWK "heavy weight" (wool) kilt and it's great--wear it all the time. However, I also have a "standard" acrylic SWK that I'm probably going to give away any day now. It doesn't look at all like wool--I'm embarrassed to wear it on occasions when other Scots have their wool kilts on, because it looks shabby by comparison. It piles, wrinkles, and feels funny. Other folks on the forum are more positive re. acrylic, that's just my opinion.

(3) I don't own a USAKilt, but I have friends who do, I've examined them closely, and a semi-traditional USAK is nigh indistinguishable from a $500 wool kilt visually. For Christmas I'm ordering a USAK sem-trad Isle of Skye, and I plan to wear it for same occasions as I'd wear my 8-yd Loccharron wool kilt.

(4) In conclusion, I'd suggest either go for a "casual" kilt (5 yard) made of wool and in our own fine tartan, or something else in a USAK semi-trad.

"Touch not the Cat bot a Glove!"

[Riverkilt]

Check out the Prince of Wales tartan from Marton Mills. USA Kilts has it.

Ron

[Bruno]

Does Yon Mate smoke or will there be a lot of smokers around. Some cheaper PV kilts will go up like petrol and I once saw a PV plaid go up in smoke at a wedding from a candle bump.

Do your home work first when buying. I would think Irish National/Heritage may be best if he is of Irish decent. This would make him feel comfier in a kilt. Rather than wearing an unrelated Clan tartan.