Scottish Kiltmaking: Knowledge and Practice Pilot Study

The kilt is a key material culture object that defines membership in Scottish culture (Martin, 1988). The kilt originated in the Highlands of Scotland around the 16th Century, and has been adopted by diverse groups such as punks and military units (Martin, 1988). However, there is a dearth in the literature regarding those who create this iconic garment. Kiltmakers are an important component of the Scottish economy, and the Scottish government has recognized this through development of training programs to attract individuals to kiltmaking practice (Scottish Qualifications Authority, 2008). The purpose of this study is to understand the experiences of kiltmakers in the Edinburgh area of Scotland. The research is grounded in theory regarding cultural and professional aspects of kilts. A purposive snowball sampling method was used to conduct interviews with (n=4) kiltmakers from the greater Edinburgh area. Resulting themes related to 1) Kiltmaking Industry, and 2) Kiltmaker Certification