the sport kilt story
Learn about the Sport Kilt story from our Founder, James Ansite.
Garage Origins & The American Spirit
As a rebellious teenager, all I wanted was a kilt. I saw Axl Rose on MTV and watched my hero Rowdy Roddy Piper dominate in the WWF ring while wearing kilts, and that was just so badass looking to me. Of course, back then there weren’t any kilts for sale on the internet, only some mail order catalogs that sold them for $600 and took months to ship.
No problem, I thought. I’ll just make one. So my dad Jim and I laid some green flannel fabric out on our garage ping pong table, cut the pattern, and began pleating and sewing the kilt with velcro as the closing mechanism. That was the very first Sport Kilt, though of course I didn’t know it at the time. I just wanted to look cool in front of my friends.
To the track the kilt went
I used to race bikes at the Olympic Velodrome track in Compton, CA. The first time I wore my new kilt to a training session there, my teammates were obsessed with it. I made kilts for the whole team and we would put them on to “air out” after riding in our bike shorts. Eventually we started wearing them for longer and longer, not changing back to “regular” shorts and jeans and rocking our kilts out to dinner and on the town.
My Dad got the Sport Kilt online store up in 1996. He taught himself HTML to do it! He also found a local sportswear shop in Long Beach that produced our kilts for the first few years, until we decided to upgrade the quality and make everything in-house in 2000. We ran the company out of our house in Seal Beach for about five years, and we’d do photoshoots around the house with our 1.2 megapixel camera and put them up on the website. Our so-called “Wall of Fame” was a big hit in the pre-social media days.
the world started opening up
Everything changed when we discovered the amazing Highland Games community. Turns out Sport Kilts were perfect for athletes competing in the hot sun, plus kilts just made the whole spirit of the festivals feel more authentic. I did the West Coast circuit for a few years, introducing our product to athletes and fans, and met some nice vendors along the way that would end up carrying our products at events we couldn’t attend.
We started hearing from people all over the world using our kilts for different activities besides cycling and Highland Games, and we realized that our products were perfect for just about any activity you can think of. Some people want to feel a connection to their heritage, and some just want to stand out from the crowd and be different like I did back as a teenager.
Scottish connections
I didn’t really know much about the historic importance of kilts and tartans when we started, but the more research I did the more fascinating things I learned. Like the fact that my ancestors were Scottish – MacGregor on my mom’s side, and Buchanan on my dad’s. Later on I would learn that a vast portion of Americans have Scottish ancestry, especially among the Appalachian trail thru-hikers and bluegrass musicians I would meet along trail-days.
We did a photoshoot with Rowdy Roddy Piper and “Mean” Gene Okerlund in a backyard wrestling ring in Simi Valley. Seeing Roddy put on the Sport Kilt we made for him was surreal. He was actually super quiet and soft-spoken until the cameras started rolling, at which point his Rowdy alter ego was fully activated and he taunted me the whole time from the mat. It was a blast. When I asked him why he wears a black kilt, he said with a straight face, “because all my friends are dead.” We were saddened to learn of his too-soon passing in 2015. RIP Roddy!
Still Proudly Made in America
In 2019 we traded the beach for the mountains, moving our operation to Utah along with five of our twelve employees. We love our new location, and being here reminds us of the reasons we started the company in the first place – to be free, take chances, and try something new. We’ve made so many people happy over the course of 25 years, and our kilts have literally changed people’s lives.
Sport Kilt will continue to bring freedom, comfort and style to all who are brave enough to wear what we proudly make and call, Sport Kilt.
Sport Kilt Staples
Highlighting the standout pieces from our current lineup that embody the Sport Kilt spirit.
The Original American Kilt
Founded in a garage in 1995, we were the first US company to make casual kilts, pioneering a modern take on a traditional concept.
Proudly American-Made
Every Sport Kilt is manufactured right here in the USA, ensuring top-tier quality and supporting domestic industry.
Easy Care Fabric
Crafted from modern, high-performance fabrics that offer the durability active athletes need without losing its shape.
A Kilt for Everyone
Whether you’re an athlete, attending a wedding, or celebrating as a cancer survivor, we’ve got a kilt for you.
Comprehensive Options
We offer designs for men, women and children, making this tradition accessible and perfect for all ages.
Built for Movement
Our kilts deliver exceptional comfort, freedom of movement, and a secure fit suitable for all activities.
A Kilt Ecosystem
We also provide an extensive selection of sporrans, pins, belts, and shirts to help you complete your look.
What Our Customers Say
Average Customer Rating on Google
So Comfortable!
“All my life I’ve wanted a kilt but just never got around to getting one. Then for Christmas my beautiful wife ordered me one with the hose and sporran. After wearing everything for all of new years day I was so comfortable and impressed I kicked myself for not doing it sooner!”
Terry McLachlan
Love It!
“I haven’t worn a kilt since I was 7yrs old and got one on a family trip to Scotland. I bought one from Sport Kilt and decided to wear it for the Disney Princess 10K race that I was completing with my mom. I loved wearing the kilt!”
Christina
Outstanding!
“I couldn’t have been happier with the kilt. Very quick delivery and the customer service was incredible. I truly appreciate the folks at Sport Kilt and I highly recommend this company to anyone who might be searching for a kilt for any occasion. Outstanding!”
Joel K
We Purchased Three!
“We purchased three kilts and couldn’t be happier with the quality and service. The ordering process was smooth, delivery was fast, and the customer support was excellent from start to finish. Everyone was impressed with how great the kilts looked and fit.”
Alicia
Get to know your kilts!
Get answers to frequently asked questions about Sport Kilt. From order tracking to kilt wearing tips – we’ve got you covered!
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