There are some very unusual categories of tartans in the Official Register, with new designs being created all the time!
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Enjoy this eclectic selection of curious tartan categories!
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All officially registered tartan graphics courtesy the Scottish Tartans Authority.
Feathered Friends
Let's all sing like the birdies sing ... tartan tributes to the songbirds, the birds of prey, and the ornamental.
Tartan of the Day
There are tartans for holidays, historical days, food days, maybe even your birthday! Visit our Tartan Calendar for special days throughout the year to see official and designer tartans.
Man's Best Friend
By far, dogs outnumber all other animals with official tartans. "A house without a dog, a cat, or a little child is a house without joy or laughter."(Scottish Proverb)
Fictional Creatures
Mythic, children's storybook, cartoon, and other creatures of the imagination inspire some of the more whimsical designs from tartan artists.
Food & Beverages
A distinctive pattern such as tartan is an unusual but instantly recognizable way to get your brand colours noticed.
Trees
Trees are a natural subject for tribute tartans - with their diversity of natural colours and deep links to folklore and mythology.
Birthday Tartan
Happy Birthday in tartan! Is there a special tartan associated with your day of birth? Find out!
California - The Golden State
Home to The Red Thistle Dancers in the San Francisco's Bay Area, many tartans have been designed for "The Golden State" and other special connections to Scotland in the United States.
Famous & Infamous
An interesting and sometimes unexpected cast of characters have been memorialized in tartan.
Film & Television
Film and TV have provided new inspiration for tartan design, whether the subject matter is Scottish or not.
Fictional Places
From Atlantis to Xanadu, people have been fascinated with places of legend and folklore. A surprising number of tartans commemorate some of these fictional realms.
Zoo & Bestiary
Common or wild, endangered or family pets, animals are a popular source of inspiration for creative tartan designers.
Authors & Poets
In addition to Scotland's most famous poet, Robert Burns, other authors and poets have been commemorated in tartan.
Fictional Characters
Immortalized through music, books, or legend, these tartans evoke the nostalgia of beloved children's characters or the tragic figures of legend.
Flowers & Flora
Tartan designers have a special interest in the thistle flower, the national Flower of Scotland, but many flowers are a natural match for the inspiration of tartan colors.
Tartans of the United States
There are official tartans for almost every state in the Union!