Four Things to Remember
When Caring for Your Kilt
Any respectable kilt maker
will explain to a potential customer why it’s important to purchase the best
quality kilt that they can afford. This is because a nicer quality kilt has
more versatility and can be worn in different situations. To draw a parallel,
envision a nice pair of slacks. You could easily get away with pairing them
with a jacket and tie and attending a dressy function. At the same time, you
could also wear them on your daily errands, paired with a polo, and people
wouldn't give it a second glance. However, the inverse is not true. If you are attending a dress function with a
pair of informal cargo shorts or jeans, you’re probably not going to get a
favorable reaction.
The same holds true with a
quality kilt. You’ll get
more use out of your kilt and turn heads for the right reasons. However, in
order to justify an investment like an 8 Yard kilt, you’ll need to learn how to
properly care for it. With the right maintenance and storage practices, there’s
no reason why you can’t enjoy your fine wool kilt for the rest of your life.
The question then begs: What are some things to keep in mind to protect your
investment, so you can get the most mileage out of your
kilt and hand it down to the next generation? Here are some tips to keep in
mind:
• Dry-Clean Your Kilt Only Occasionally and
as a Last Resort: The
solvents dry-cleaners use aren't the best for a wool kilt. That’s because they
remove the wool of its natural oils, making it more brittle over a period of
time. In addition, if they're not familiar with kilts, a poor pressing could
result in the kilt’s pleats looking disheveled. While the kilt should be
pressed every couple of years, it should only be done carefully by hand or by a
trained kilt maker. Talk to your dry-cleaner, and if they haven’t dealt with
kilts before, it might be best to seek other methods.
• You Can Wash Your Kilt But Proceed with
Caution: Most of the
time, you don’t need to completely soak your kilt, but if you feel it’s
necessary, make sure to soak it in cold to lukewarm water – and only for a few
minutes at that. Again, though, this is usually unnecessary unless it’s really
dirty. Dabbing a stain with a cold wet cloth and a drop of Dawn detergent is
usually enough to rid your kilt of it.
If you do soak the kilt, lay it flat to dry.
• Remember to Only Store Your Kilt When It’s
Completely Dry: Let’s say
you were at your local Highland Games, and you experienced a bit of rain
("fine Scottish weather"). Before you store your kilt for the next
occasion, make sure it’s completely dry by laying it flat across the foot of
your bed or back of your sofa. Otherwise, mildew might befriend your kilt, and
nobody wants that. If needed, aim a fan at the kilt to aid in drying.
• Store Your Kilt in the Closet or in a
Drawer: Your kilt can be
hung in a closet, but make sure you protect it with a cloth garment bag to
prevent a moth attack. Moths love wool and will happily procreate, so future
generations can eat holes in your wool kilt as well. Many experts recommend
storing your kilt in a drawer, but make sure to lay it flat and store it with
cedar blocks if possible.
This sounds easy enough,
right? Good! With the right care and thoughtful maintenance, a quality kilt
will be a bargain you will wear for a lifetime and be able to hand down as an
heir loom.
