Buying a kilt is a rite of passage for many Scots and those of Scottish descent across the world. It is not only an investment in your heritage, but an investment in a high-quality garment. A good kilt can become a family heirloom, lasting for at least a generation or two if cared for properly. Whether you already own a kilt or thinking about buying one, we're here to help with this informative guide on how to care for your kilt.
Storing Your Kilt
When you first get your kilt and try it on at home, you might not ever want to take it off. However, we wouldn't recommend sleeping in your new kilt, as this is a surefire way to crease the fabric. So, you're going to have to think about how to store it. The best way to protect your kilt is by hanging it safely in your wardrobe, which may beg the question, what do I hang it with? (This is a surprisingly heavy garment, particularly if you bought the full heavyweight version). Your main challenge is to avoid the front of the kilt sagging as this can give your new kilt a misshapen look and we don't want that. We would recommend using a purpose-made kilt hanger which has 4 instead of 2 clips, and much stronger ones at that.
Once your kilt is hung properly and securely, it's important to keep it in a plastic garment or suit bag before storing it in your wardrobe. This covering ensures that your kilt is protected from dust and mischievous moths. When storing your kilt in your wardrobe, make sure that it has plenty of room and hangs freely, the last thing you want to do is to squash and crease the fabric.
Travelling in Your kilt
Now that you know how to safely store your kilt, it's time to find out how to travel in style. Travelling can bring its own difficulties, especially if you're in a rush to get to a venue or big event. If you're not used to wearing a kilt, getting into a car can be quite the challenge. There is a bit of knack to doing it effectively, but your main aim, as always, will be to avoid creases. The best way to avoid this is to smooth the pleats of your kilt as you sit down to avoid any becoming trapped underneath your bottom.
Top Tip: This is easier if you sit with your legs outside the car as you sit down before pivoting around in your seat. Doing this should ensure that your pleats remain smooth for the whole journey.
Packing Your Kilt
Should you be travelling further afield and find yourself needing to pack your kilt in a suitcase, it is important to know how to do this properly. The simplest method for this is to lay your kilt out on a flat surface, fasten the buckles, and roll the pleats from left to right. It should now somewhat resemble a tartan sausage. Your kilt should then be stored securely in a purpose-made kilt carrier or even your kilt socks for best results.
If you don't have anything to wrap your kilt in, a good alternative is to lay your kilt flat at the bottom of your suitcase. To do this effectively, fasten the buckles and ensure that there are no creases in the fabric. As long as you hang it back up upon reaching your destination it should be smooth and ready to wear. The rest of your outfit can be packed in a suit bag.
When travelling by air and carrying a sgian dhub, you might have a tough time at airport security. Do not put it in your hand luggage unless you wish to be accused of carrying an offensive weapon! To avoid having your treasured sgian dhub confiscated we would recommend our sgian brew; which comes with a rounded blade and bottle opener.
Cleaning Your Kilt
Your kilt is made of pure wool which prefers not to be washed or cleaned if possible, so after a big night out or a wild wedding hang your kilt in the fresh air before you put it away for next time to freshen it up, and take a soft brush and gently clean off any minor marks or stains. If you are quick a damp cloth can also be enough to clean off liquid stains as wool has a natural waterproofing and liquid will not soak in immediately. The fabric of your kilt is very durable and any light stains should lift easily. For tougher marks, it is possible to use a spot marker. However, we would recommend testing this on the inside of your kilt first to ensure it won't damage your kilt further.
There is mixed advice when it comes to dry cleaning your kilt. Some kiltmakers advise against dry cleaning, as in some instances the stuffing may be removed, and if the kilt is pressed incorrectly the results could be disastrous. But really as long as your dry cleaner has experience working with kilts and knows what they are doing there should be no problem. If you want to be really particular you can bast the pleats of your kilt beforehand to ensure they keep their shape. To do this, you need to put a tacking stitch around the bottom of the kilt holding each pleat in place, most importantly making sure that each pleat is the same width all the way down.
Ironing or Pressing Your Kilt
The pleats of your kilt will not lose their press when cleaned, meaning that your kilt will never need to be ironed. However, your kilt will still sometimes need to be pressed. To press your kilt, identify the edge of each pleat then press on the pleat using a steam iron and pressing cloth (yes I do use a clean dish cloth and this works fine). This will ensure that your kilt keeps its shape and your pleats will form a perfect swirl when dancing the night away. This might sound confusing, so to clear up another question; ironing and pressing are often used interchangeably, but are actually two separate techniques. Ironing is the back and forth sliding motion most of us are familiar with and do regularly at home. We do not recommend ironing your kilt. Pressing is the placing of the iron on the fabric, holding it there, and then removing. If you go into a garment factory they have enormous presses for garments that fold down like a big toasted sandwich maker!
Well there you have it! You now know how to properly care for your kilt. If you have any other questions about kilts or how to look after them be sure to get in touch we would love to help.
