[MR] BBC: Vegan Kilts "Take Off" in Scotland

[Garth Groff and Sally Sanford]

Noble Friends, Especially Fellow Scots

The kilt is often seen on SCA members who depict Scots. This garment is
traditionally made from wool, a no-no for vegans. According to a BBC
article today, vegan Scots and SCA Scottish wannabes can enjoy wearing a
"kilt without guilt"--vegan-friendly polyester kilts with *faux* leather
belts and sporrans are now becoming available. These kilts are even machine
washable: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-51065672 .

Man-made fabrics are not exactly environment friendly, even if they do meet
the vegan test. As mentioned in the BBC article, one of the Scottish
suppliers is experimenting with hemp fibers.

Actually, such kilts have been available in the US for years from one of
the major kilt American suppliers. This company (their name will be
supplied upon request via a personal email) offers both acrylic and
polyviscose material, specially intended for those allergic to wool, but
more-or-less acceptable to vegans as well.

So now to the history lesson. The kilt does not appear in Scottish history
until 1594, which doesn't leave us much wiggle room in the SCA. This kilt
was the *feileadh mòr*  or "great kilt" which not only goes around the
waist, but is also wide enough to wrap the upper body. This is why you will
never see Lord Mungo (who lives in 1496) in a kilt, unless he is teaching a
class on the kilt's history, and that will always be a great kilt. The kilt
most often worn (incorrectly) by Scadians is the *fèileadh beag* or modern
"wee kilt", which actually dates to the early 18th century. Well, we're
here to have fun, and any man who will don even the wee kilt will still get
my admiration.

Yours Aye,

Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge  🦆