Click the tartan to view its entry in The Scottish Registers of Tartans which includes registration details, restrictions, and registrant information.
Unregistered tartans may link to one of the web's online design environments for similar information.
For any questions about reproduction of designs or weaving of these tartans, please contact the registrant directly or via this website.
Tartan Day
"It is in truth not for glory, nor riches, nor honours, that we are fighting, but for freedom - for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself."
~ The Declaration of Arbroath, 1320
Tartan Day is a North American celebration of Scottish heritage, officially recognized by Canada in 1986 and then by the United States in 1998, marking the signing of The Declaration of Arbroath, drafted April 6th in 1320, one of Scotland's most significant historical documents, embodying the struggle for national sovereignty and the assertion of Scotland's independence from England. Although primarily a plea to the Pope to recognize Scotland's sovereignty, the Declaration is celebrated for its broader implications on the rights and freedoms of the common man. It articulately sets forth the principle that the authority of the rulers is conditional upon their good governance and is a profound early assertion that the people have the right to resist or overthrow a ruler who fails to protect their freedoms and wellbeing. This concept was revolutionary for its time, presaging later democratic principles that hold the government accountable to the will and welfare of the governed. The Declaration of Arbroath thus stands not only as a symbol of Scottish national identity but also as an early beacon for the universal struggle against tyranny, emphasizing the idea that governance should serve the people's interests, a principle that has echoed through centuries of democratic thought and practice. This tartan is specially designed to visually portray both the Royal Standard of Scotland (the Lion Rampant) and the National Flag of Scotland (the Saltire). When printed or worn on the square the red and yellow prominently represents the Lion Rampant, and when printed or worn on the bias the white and blue becomes the Scottish Saltire, known also as St. Andrew’s Cross. 🏴 🦁 🦄
By designer Steven Patrick Sim, this tartan was registered in late 2014 to coincide with Saint Andrew's Day, and is embedded throughout with symbolism and story-telling by the choice of colours, geometry, and thread counts to represent Scotland's past, present and future.
For a full description of the rationale for the tartan's design, click the tartan itself to learn about the symbolic representation of:
Robert the Bruce and the legend of the spider
the ancient saltire
the Scottish referendum on Independence of 2014
the future 700th anniversary of the Declaration in 2020
and the powerful and mythical chained Unicorn of Scotland
And for more about Scotland's official animal as illustrated on its coat of arms, click the unicorn for a fascinating article on the history of the unicorn.