Few patterns are as closely associated with Scotland as tartan, the classic Scottish check. Its history stretches back centuries: the earliest known evidence of checked cloth in Scotland, the so-called Falkirk tartan, was found in a clay pot near Falkirk and dates from around 250 AD – it can be seen today at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh. The oldest surviving piece of a true tartan in the modern sense, however, is the 16th-century Glen Affric tartan, discovered during forestry work in a peat bog west of Inverness – its pattern lives on today in our lambswool blanket in the Glen Affric tartan.
Originally used to identify Scottish clans and regions, tartan today stands for craftsmanship, identity and individuality alike – from the Highlands to the runways of Chanel, Burberry and Alexander McQueen.
At House of Scotland, you'll find original Scottish tartans as kilts, scarves, stoles and blankets – woven by traditional mills in Scotland and England, in pure wool and cashmere quality.
To learn more about the history of tartan, the meaning behind clan patterns, and how fashion houses like Vivienne Westwood and Dior continue to reinterpret tartan today, read our in-depth tartan guide.
