Why Do Tartans Have Meaning? Is Symbolism in Tartan Design Just Marketing?

At one time a tartan was a tartan was a tartan. If someone like a Clan Chief liked it, it became something official. However, since the mid-20th century the trend has grown rapidly to ascribe special coded meanings into a new tartan design. In fact, today it is largely expected.

Thus a new tartan description might read something like, “The green for the forest, the gray for the river, and twenty red lines stand for the twenty original pioneer families who settled in this swamp.”

How did this happen? Is it a good or a bad thing that tartans now have coded symbolism? How should you let this guide your own design process if you decide to create a new tartan?

Tartans:
Rocky & Mac: Stewart of Appin Hunting Weathered
Erik: Scruffy Wallace

--------------------------------------------------
Started in 2003, USA Kilts is a team of kilt makers and artisans located in Spring City PA. In 2017, we made it our mission to build community and bring kilts and Celtic culture to the forefront with our YT show: Kilts & Culture.

[ScotchArsh]

My favorite tartan designed with meaning is Earthrise. Since this video was posted, I'm loving Appalachian Folklore.

[odiezero]

Nordic Heritage is absolutely AMAZING ! My absolute favorite at this point

[mrflappie]

Oo. Earthrise tartan is pretty. The blue almost lights up. I want it :)

[joevirnig]

Firefighter Memorial - after joining the local fire department as a paid-on-call firefighter post 9/11, it was a natural choice when I purchased my first kilt in 2013 - these days, I have a casual, 5 yard, and it's only a matter of time until I get an 8 yard kilt in FFM.

[destonlee]

Hunting tartans vs ceremonial tartans though?

[PhilipCrichton]

The Black Watch was one of the British regiments that fought at the Battle of Monmouth Courthouse. That was the first time in their history they were forced to retreat. They got pinned in an apple orchard under canon fire.that made the trees e explode in wooden shrapnel.

[jasontheflyingfarrierhays]

I would love an app that I could take a picture of a particular tartan, and it could tell me which one it is.

[easyfiveOsink]

What is that Tartan behind Eric on display with the grey jacket? I really like it!

[williambailey]

Kilts and Culture, County Down and County Antrim

[the-kilted-trucker]

The Muirhead tartan, but america dream holds a close 2nd.
Just proud of my clan.

[PierreMullin]

Maple Leaf - It's all about the colours (colors in American)

[cjlee]

The Lee clan tartan. Because in one of your recent TikTok livestreams I asked about it and you wouldn’t show it. I could hear a woman in the background claiming Lee is a Chinese name. It actually occurs in Korean, Anglo-Saxon, and Irish. 😮

[carsonwilson]

Earthrise. I love blue, I also am a huge space nerd. Win/win for me.

[easyfiveOsink]

Would love to get a group together to order Dutch Friendship Tartan.

[kevin-jgnq]

Angus ancient - district tartan is one I like.

[matthewporter]

I'm new to the tartan experience. I don't as of yet have a favorite. But my question is does every state have its own tartan?

[drelouksaudiomultiartizt-t]

I also made Tartans Ummm Bolton of Tweedside Scotland it's English & Scottish I remade The Goodman Tartan for people I made Louks Loucks Lucks Lucas Ó Loughlin Lockes Lock though Lock has one it's a variation of Lucas & Laux most likely Nordic Laux is found in the Danish Sir names But Locke/Locky do have a tartan already & Can be in Lamont & MacDougall as well But I made one for all different versions of it. It's blue & White. I made Celtic Druid Path & Celtic Pagan Tartan also Godric English Scottish tartan

[hanzosbm]

Nobody mentioned the Leatherneck tartan?

[drelouksaudiomultiartizt-t]

Tartans we're also most likely made in the Iron Age as well just don't know what the first ones mean and it was wearn in a shaw like thing and Pants Gauls wear them Brittons and so on. However that version is lost to time. Later tartans like 15 to 18 hundreds I believe ya'll said a Welsh or a English man made them then scots ran with the kilt idea so depends how you look at it really. The patterns have always been around and or the idea so probably The Ancient dyed pants with woad inspired Trews probably and today too there's so many different tartans that are way way modern Scottish registry of tartan registers new ones very very often

[Ipodicusparanormal]

The Taylor ancient tartan is the best tartan that is least talked about