HIGHLAND HERITAGE LTD.

[beverlonian]

Doesn't look as though the web-site is fully operational yet - can't view anything!

[Buddha]

is there a reason you're being so cryptic about the prices? just a ballpark would be nice

[beerbecue]

I've sent an email this morning (can't really call from work), and look forward to the information.

With a single income household right now, this just might be the ticket to fix my jones.....

[Ugly Bear]

Just had a chat with Highland Heritage. The scoop:

New kilts: $425.
Used kilts start at $275.
Available tartans:
1. Black Watch
2. Royal Stewart
3. Flower of Scotland
4. Muted Dress MacDonald
5. Modern Douglas
6. Waterford (Irish county)

In my case, I gave a tartan choice and my size range, and I was promised a call back for availability. We'll see how this goes.

[Jimmy Carbomb]

is there a reason you're being so cryptic about the prices? just a ballpark would be nice

As with any kiltmakers, the amount of material and the kilt tartans make a huge difference. Rather than just throw a number out there, I would rather have those with the experience in dealing with them throw the information your way. Also, it's nothing to throw them an email or a call with everyone's individual specs. That's much mroe reliable.

All that I can vouch for is the EXTREMELY high quality of the material, the craftsmanship, and the overall kilts. With qoutes out there in the $300 to $700 range for "something else", this is a GREAT opportunity to snag a proper wool, properly sewn "Tank". It's worth a little work.

I'm so taken by them that I'm looking into grabbing a green one (like I really need another kilt).

The more correspondence that they get from XMarks members, the better we sit. Who knows, Hank might even get some advertising... or maybe we'll get a discount for the group.

[Jimmy Carbomb]

New kilts: $425.
Used kilts start at $275.

Considering the HIGH quality, that's an outstanding price on BOTH counts. US residents can factor-in the tax, duty, shipping, etc. to determine the savings from wherever you might get a kilt. Delaware is a tax-free state. Shipping is domestic.

What a find!!!
Way to go Calico!

[Satirist]

I'm putting up a few pics I snapped of the kilt I got from there, maybe you'll get a good idea of the kilt if their website isnt working.

Thanks for the pics. Holy cow! Out of the 21 kilts that I have, only one even comes close to the depth of those pleats. That's a dandy! I'll surely be getting one after the holidays.

[Barb T]

Hi folks

Just a quick note about pleat depth. Since pleat depth is essentially solely a function of the size of the tartan repeat, a kiltmaker doesn't really have a choice about what depth to make the pleats for a given kilt. If you have a kilt with shallow pleats (and it's been properly pleated to the sett or stripe), you've got a tartan with a small repeat (4-6" or so, probably, which gives you pleat depths of roughly half that, or 2-3").

The only way to get deep pleats is to choose a tartan with a big repeat. If the repeat is 10", then pleats will be roughly half that # of inches deep, or about 5". Because light weight tartans typically have smaller repeats, kilts made from them typically have shallow pleats. This is particularly true of tartan fabric that you can buy in fabric stores in the US (usually quite small repeats). Heavy weight tartans typically have bigger repeats (as much as 10-14" or more), and kilts made from them have deeper pleats solely because of the size of the repeat.

So, bottom line, once you've chosen a piece of fabric, you don't have any choice on how deep the pleats will be!

Cheers!

Barb

[Jimmy Carbomb]

Because light weight tartans typically have smaller repeats, kilts made from them typically have shallow pleats. This is particularly true of tartan fabric that you can buy in fabric stores in the US (usually quite small repeats).

Typically... unless you are fortunate enough to have a kiltmaker that's willing to do the right thing and go another "rung" to make the kilt heavier. That serves two purposes. First, it makes the pleats deeper (duh). Two, it adds more weight and bulk to an otherwise flimsy kilt. In both cases, the sway and hang is greatly improved.

As for the kilts and materials at Highland Heritage... they're only the best. Naturally, when you get "kilt wool tartan" you're going to get a proper kilt. You can be a great kilt maker, but without the proper MATERIAL, you can only do so much.

[Barb T]

True - if the tartan has a really small sett, you can go double the sett for each pleat, and that certainly does improve the look and swing. I think I wouldn't do it for a tartan that has a sett much bigger than 5", though, unless the fabric were really light. What do you think??

Barb