If it's cheap and nasty it's not a kilt

THE kilt is recognised the world over as being as distinctly Scottish as haggis, tartan, whisky and caber-tossing.

But it was revealed yesterday that the traditional Highland garb is under threat from cheap foreign "knock-offs" – flooding in from the Far East and even Morocco – as a concerted campaign was launched to protect Scotland's indigenous kilt-making industry from cut-price imitations.

As a first stage in the fight back by the industry, which is worth an estimated 350 million a year to the Scottish economy, a summit meeting of leading kilt manufacturers was held in a Perth hotel to determine what exactly makes a Scottish-made kilt so special and to identify the skills needed to make one.

Over the next few weeks, industry leaders will create a set of national occupational standards to act as a blueprint for the traditional kilt-making industry.

And it is hoped that eventually the benchmark standards could be used to secure the Scottish-made kilt the same level of special product protection as is afforded to Scotch whisky, Champagne, Roquefort cheese and Parma ham.

Yesterday's summit meeting was hosted by Skillfast-UK, the skills council for Britain's fashion and textiles industry.

Jacqui Cullen, Skillfast-UK's manager in Scotland, said: "Both Scotch whisky and the kilt are synonymous with Scotland. Whisky is regulated, with standards to protect the integrity of the brand – so why should it be any different for the kilt? We want to help Scotland's kilt-makers to define the kilt, and the skills that go into its creation, to help protect the quality standard and guard against inferior imitations from abroad."

She explained that areas covered during the discussions included general tailoring skills, but also "trade secrets" such as the marking out of the fabric, construction techniques and specialist knowledge of tartan.

Ms Cullen stressed that, at its best, kilt-making could be compared to the specialist skills required by London's Savile Row tailors. She said: "At the top end of the market, the kilt is a bespoke garment, tailored for an individual's shape.

"It is very important for the heritage of Scotland that people who have these talents share the skills and knowledge that they have, so it can be maintained and passed on."

Louise Wood, the council's director of marketing, explained that, as a result of globalisation, the indigenous kilt-making industry was being threatened by inferior imports – "garments which are calling themselves Scottish kilts, but are truly not worthy of the name".

She continued: "They are nice pleated skirts, but they are not to be confused with the genuine Scottish article. But until you have really defined what a Scottish kilt is, then you can't really protect it.

"We would have to jump through a lot of legal hoops to secure a local identification mark, but, potentially, if we can come up with definition of what a Scottish kilt is, it could open up the way for that to happen."

Alyn Smith, an SNP MEP, praised the initiative, saying: "For too long now we have seen cheap, poorly made, foreign knock-offs being passed off as kilts – and it annoys me intensely. The things are not fit to be dishcloths. Scotland's tartan industry as a whole contributes some 4,000 jobs and 350 million to the economy, so it is worth protecting."

BACKGROUND

THE modern kilt developed from the "feileadh mor" or "feileadh bhreacain" – the "great plaid" – a single length of cloth which was gathered around the waist by a belt, pinned at the shoulder by a brooch and pleated around the thighs.

In the 18th century, a less cumbersome version of the kilt, almost identical to that worn today, gained popularity throughout Scotland – the "feileadh beag" or "small plaid".

Minimum standards in the art of kilt-making are already being guaranteed by the members of the Kiltmakers' Guild, formed nine years ago by graduates of the Keith Kilt School – the only school of its kind in the world.

The guild was formed to safeguard and promote the standard of quality and services provided by many of Scotland's leading kilt-makers through a certificate of authenticity. Each garment made by a member of the guild carries the guild's distinctive label.

The guild has more than 20 members, working mainly in Moray and the Highlands.