Tartan cloth is highly regarded throughout the world today because of its strong association with Scottish clan history dating back four centuries. Emigrants from Scotland and Ireland keep strong ties with their roots and one of the most popular methods of connecting with the past is through their clan tartan.
The Celts required clothing that would keep out the cold and damp throughout the year and for hundreds of years the Highlanders had been developing woven cloth from sheep’s wool that was suitable for their needs. The cloth was not only wrapped around the body to protect from the elements but would also be used as a blanket to sleep in, particularly when the men were out hunting in the mountains. The weavers would make cloth for use within their own household and they introduced their own colours and patterns which were the start of clan tartans; these designs were passed down through the generations and the bond of the clan tartan was strengthened.
The Jacobean uprising was a major influence on the development of tartan when the chiefs introduced a uniform tartan for their troops to wear into battle. British army regiments adopted the tartan kilt, the stunning colours of which put fear into many an enemy in the 18th and 19th century.
With Queen Victoria’s love of Scotland, the Highland dress became a major force in the world of fashion. Scottish families were proud to wear their national dress and created new tartans to wear on social occasions. The mechanisation of weaving meant that it was easier to produce the intricate pattern of tartans and new dies allowed stronger colours to be introduced into the threads. Production increased making it possible to retail the tartan cloth to tourists in Scotland and send to more to places such as London. Here the wealthy upper classes were only too happy to find a connection with a Scottish ancestor so that they would be able to wear the clan’s tartan.
The large number of emigrants and their descendants who now live in former colonies and other countries throughout the world embrace the tartan of their ancestors. They love to dress in the appropriate tartan, whether it’s for a local function, a wedding or a grand parade, such as during New York’s tartan week. The Scottish Highland games held throughout Scotland during the summer are a huge draw for the tartan kilted sports person.
At www.allthingsbuchanan.com we specialise in products manufactured using Buchanan tartans, mainly modern and ancient but we are adding products in the weathered and hunting tartans. Most items are kept in stock ready for immediate dispatch world wide. If there is any product not shown on the site that you would like please enquire and we will research its availability.