How much does a kilt cost in 2024

Investing in a kilt is just like investing in a good suit, quality and longevity are going to be big factors. Buying a kilt is something that takes great thought and consideration, it is better to buy once and have it last your a life time than buying cheap and having to replace or hiring for each occasion.

Buying a kilt is one of the most sustainable wardrobe staples you can buy, a traditional Scottish kilt is made from 100% wool (a natural resource), kilts are typically hand made and have been designed to last generations. Kilts can be worn to a wide array of events and often seen to be passed down families as a piece of heritage.

Buying a kilt allows you to customise a kilt completely and uniquely to you. Many people will just buy a kilt to own and style for multiple occasions , but some buy the full kilt outfit or build up there collection over time. There are many variables that effect and determine the cost of a kilt, which we will cover below:

Picking your tartan –

The first step in ordering a kilt is selecting your tartan and undoubtable the entire focal point of your occasion outfit. Houston Kiltmakers is proud to offer the largest tartan selection in Scotland.

We are able to provide such an extensive range of tartans as we have a range of high quality mill suppliers. With having such a large array of tartans on offer, how does this come into pricing?

Well tartans are charged by the metre/yard, a traditional kilt is around 8 yards in cloth. Different tartans cost different prices, this comes down to which mill its from, the availability of the tartan and the demand for the tartan. If your looking for a super uncommon tartan maybe only woven in one mill that may come at a higher price.

There are thousands of tartans to chose from so there is more than plenty choice and you can even design your own tartan with us and have it registered and produced.

Tartan weights-

Tartan comes is 3 primary weights , lightweight (11oz), medium weight (13oz) & heavyweight (16oz). the weight of the cloth will effect the overall price

A good traditional long lasting kilt should be made from 16oz cloth, there is no additional warmth or weight difference when wearing a heavyweight cloth kilt, the jacket is where what contributes to weight and warmth.

A well made traditional Scottish kilt will last you a lifetime with proper care and can be styled and re-worn to an array of events.

Choosing your finishings-

Kilts come in a variety of finishings which determine the overall cost of your kilt. Once you have picked your tartan you will pick the sett which is essentially how the pattern is layered out.

There are two main styles of kilt sett:

• Normal / The pleats of the kilt will follow the repeat of the pattern.
• Regimental / Selecting a primary or centre line the pleats will repeat the pattern too.

Now you’ve selected your tartan and your sett, we offer 4 different finishing options to suit every budget. regardless of your kilt finishings all kilts we have made are a statement of enduring quality and will last you a long time with good care.

Budget machine finish kilt –

We have introduced this basic kilt due to the success of our casual machine made kilts. This is a starting price kilt, ideal if you only want to wear a kilt once or twice a year. These kilts are all hand cut but fully machine made, resulting in quicker production. On the back of the kilt at the top of the pleats you see a small line of machine stitching.

Super Machine Finish Kilt-
As the basic machine finish kilt but a lot more time preparing the kilt, marking out and cutting out the scallops so the kilt sits and fits a lot better, it is 60% hand made.

Standard Hand Finish Kilt-
These kilts are traditionally hand cut and made. On the back of the kilt you will see some stitching at the top of the pleats, this gives the kilt an authentic look.

Super Hand Made Deluxe-
This is made to a far higher standard than a standard hand made kilt. Preparation time is doubled and matching and setting is far more accurate. The kilt is 90% hand cut and made, with reinforcing by machine around buckles, waistband, belt loops and all key important areas. The very best kilt anyone can buy.

We do recommend considering your kilt customisation options in depth as like a suit its not worth cutting corners, a well tailored kilt to you will serve you your lifetime. So in pricing your kilt we consider the cost of the tartan , the cost of the set and finishing.

You can also add embroidery, pockets and Teflon coating (stain proofing) for additional charges. The beauty of the kilt is it can be completely customised to you but also means each kilt is priced individually.

Pricing-

Now we understand the variables that affect kilt pricing, to give you an idea of what to expect in terms of pricing, starting kilt prices from £300 for a basic budget kilt in the cheapest tartan bracket and kilt packs starting from £650.

Kilt packs can be completely customised hence why its hard to put a single price but ball park figures for a kilt is around £300-£650+ and kilt packs from £650-£950+. this all depends on the customisation of your kilt.

Some people chose to Hire and buy which allows them to buy and own a kilt in any tartan and get a free loan of the accessories, this is ideal for keeping costs low and you can build your collection up gradually. Hire and buy kilts start from around £325.

When to start ordering your kilt –

We recommend for special occasions booking 9-12 months ahead of the function date. We suggest this as it gives you the widest range of products available to be delivered in time for your function. If a cloth is out of stock it can take 3/4 months for it to be rewoven and back in stock.

The sooner you can book the better as this allows extra time for production and ordering and allows your kilt to come to you in plenty time, and be altered if needed by our in house expert alterations team.

Ex-hire kilts –

Looking for something a little more budget friendly? why not consider ex-hire kilts. buying ex hire is extra sustainable and ideal for giving ex hire kilts a new lease of life. All of our ex hire kilts will last a long time and high quality.

We have a wide range of ex-hire kilts, some of which are brand new and in a range of sizes , ex-hire kilts range from £175 – £295 depending on stock available throughout the season.

When buying an ex hire kilt you will own that kilt and will only need to hire the rest of the accessories and your kilt can be worn to a wide array of events.

You can shop our full buy collection on Kiltmakers.com or our team love to welcome you in store. If you have any enquires feel free to contact us at [email protected] or call us 0141 889 4879