Tartans are so much a part of the fabric of the Scottish heritage that April 6 has been officially deemed "Tartan Day" throughout the world. Not only does this holiday give Scots and Scotophiles everywhere a chance to celebrate the iconic fabric, it is also a chance for people of Scottish heritage to celebrate their culture. Even New York City celebrates with an annual Tartan Day Parade.
While we're all familiar with the iconic tartan check, you may not know that beginning in the 19th century, each tartan design was made to represent a specific person or event. The stripes, colors, and even the thread count are carefully chosen to pay homage to the inspiration for the design. Even Elvis Presley has a few tartans to his name - the most famous of which is red, white, blue, and gold to signify the American flag and his multiple Gold Discs. It also has a thread count of 42, a reference to the age of the King at his death.
Few fabrics have as wide and diverse a reach as tartan. In 1746, apparel and accessories made from tartan apparel were banned in an effort to quell the Highland clans who were supporting the Jacobite Risings at the time. After this period, it became associated with rebellious fashion trends and is commonly associated today with the punk and diy scene of the 80s and 90s. It's also extremely popular in Japan, which is the second biggest consumer of tartan after Scotland. Even the country's unofficial mascot, Hello Kitty, boasts her own unique tartan design.
Located in Glasgow, Ingles Buchan is a family owned and operator producer of genuine Scottish wool tartans, treasured the world over for their warmth, vibrant patterns, and classic style. Founded over 50 years ago by Mr. Ingles Buchan himself, the company offer 500 unique tartan styles made from 100% pure new wool and 60 ready-made products including ties, scarves, bow ties, sashes, stoles, shawls, golf caps, and more. As one of the largest tartan manufacturers in Scotland, they've been able to take part in some pretty unique and exciting projects. In September 2010, Ingles Buchan was honored to produce the St. Ninian tartan designed to celebrate and commemorate Pope Benedict XVI visit to Scotland. The beautiful tartan features large blocks of green and blue marked with checks of red, white, and yellow.
Additionally, a subsidiary of Ingles Buchan, Anthony Haines Textiles, created unique tartan fabrics for the television series Outlander on Starz. They worked closely with the show's creators to develop unique tartans that transport the viewer back to 18th century Scotland. Ingles Buchan designs tartans that not only speak to the fabric's rich heritage, but work to envision an exciting future. The family business embraces an innovative and imaginative approach to textile manufacturing that promises to sustain the world's love of tartan for many generations to come.