Real Creatures
Tartans have been designed to pay homage to wild creatures, domesticated animals, endangered species and beloved pets.
Click any picture to navigate to the page of interest for more information about this tartan or its associated day.
Groundhog
Feb 2
Groundhog Day
From the designer: "If the sun comes out on a clear blue morning, the Groundhog will see his shadow. Again, the darker "shadow" portion is asymmetrical as if light is shining on the lines from the left hand side. The turquoise seemed to go with the bright yellow and reminded me of a warm Caribbean vacation, which I am sure many people on the East Coast may be dreaming of right now."
Monarch
Feb 5
Western Monarch Day
by designer Carol A.L. Martin
Blue Whale
Feb 20
World Whale Day
by designer Carol A.L. Martin
Polar Bear
Feb 27
Polar Bear Day
by designer Carol A.L. Martin
Fawn
Mar 3
World Wildlife Day
by designer Carol A.. Martin this tartan uses the camouflage colours of the baby fawn.
Edinburgh Zoo Panda
Mar 16
Panda Day
Created to celebrate the arrival of a breeding pair of pandas at Edinburgh Zoo. The main colours of the tartan are black and white, directly representing the Panda’s. Grey shades have been added to soften the tartan as well as to convey the gradation of colour from black to white, as seen on the Panda’s fur. The red represents China as the pandas are their gift. Green has also been included to represent the pandas' favourite food, bamboo.
Old Frog (Frog Day)
Mar 20
World Frog Day
by designer Carol A.L. Martin
Springbok
Apr 3
African Animal Day
Produced to celebrate the Springbok (antidorcas marsupialis), a swift and graceful gazelle of Africa, this animal gets its common name from its characteristic jumping display - 'pronk' in Afrikaans, meaning to boast or show off. The many different shades of green resemble the fertile veld of South Africa where the Springbok grazes. The Springbok itself was the inspiration for the centre of the sett, focussing on its beautiful lustrous eyes and the white patch on its back.
Coding With Beagles
Apr 22
Beagle Day
This tartan uses the colors of the tri-colour beagle
Australian Heavy Horse
Apr 30
Heavy Horse Day
Designed, firstly for the Clydesdale breed and then further extended to include all heavy work horse breeds in Australia, in recognition of the heavy horses in the establishment of agriculture in Australia and the revival of their use in the new millennium. The main colours of the tartan represent the breed of heavy horses. The dark grey and black also represents the use of horses in industry, with green for Australian agriculture and brown for the ploughed fields.
Koala
May 3
Wild Koala Day
by designers F J & M W Lawson
Leopard
May 3
Leopard Day
by designer Carol A.L. Martin
Australian Donkey
May 8
Donkey Day
Requested by Australian donkey breeders to recognise all breeds of donkeys and to commemorate their assistance with man throughout history. Released 4th October 2006, the Feast of St Francis, patron Saint of animals, and also adopted as patron Saint of donkeys.
Old Frog
May 13
Jumping Frog Day
Bumblebee
May 20
Bee Day
by designer Carol A.L. Martin
Eurasian Otter (Dòbhran Eurasian)
May 25
World Otter Day
The Betta
Jun 18
Aquarium Day
Blackburn Appalachian
Jul 16
World Snake Day
Designed for the Blackburn family throughout the Appalachian region, the colours black, yellow and scarlet represent the coral snake, one of the dangers faced by generations of Blackburns, living in and migrating through green wilderness in the New World.
Glenguineapigs
Jul 16
Guinea Pig Day
by designer McSprea - a Glen Plaid variation on the Guinea Pigs for Deborah tartan
Guinea Pigs for Deborah
Jul 16
Guinea Pig Day
by designer Carol A.L. Martin
Luna Moth
Jul 24
Moth Days
by designer Carol A.L. Martin
Year of the Tiger
Jul 29
Tiger Day
This tartan, created for The Year of the Tiger in 2010, represents the designers view of the colours of the tiger "white and gold with black stripes and yellow eyes. - Oh, and lots of sharp 'teeth'".
Iona the Ragdoll
Aug 8
Cat Day
Scottish Wildcat
Aug 8
Scottish Wildcat Day
The sales of this tartan are intended to benefit habitat reservation and conservation efforts to help preserve the cats. .
Pink Elephant
Aug 12
World Elephant Day
by designer Carol A.L. Martin
Timber Wolf
Aug 13
Wolf Day
Tartan design by Carol A.L. Martin
All Breeds Dairy Goats
Aug 21
Goat Day
A tartan to represent dairy goats of the world
Little Brown Bat (Bat Night)
Aug 27
Bat Night
by designer Carol A.L. Martin
Cunningham
Sep 24
International Rabbit Day
Blue Lobster, Orange Lobster
Sep 25
Lobster Day
by designer Carol A.L. Martin
REAL CREATURES COLLECTION
Oct-4
World Animal Day
Red Rum
Oct 13
Red Rum Day
Commemorating the famous race horse Red Rum. Green was for the turf and Maroon and Gold were the racing colours.
Dark Grey Wolf
Oct 24
Werewolf Night
Tartan design by Carol A.L. Martin
Black Cat
Oct 27
Black Cat Night
Tartan design by Carol A.L. Martin
Asturcon
Nov 16
World Horse Appreciation Day
by designer Carol A.L. Martin
Icelandic Horse
Nov 16
World Horse Appreciation Day
by designer Carol A.L. Martin
Cheetah
Dec 4
Cheetah
by designer Carol A.L. Martin
Palomino
Dec 13
The Day of the Horse
by designer Carol A.L. Martin
Arctic Fox
Dec 26
Fox Appreciation Day
This tartan by Carol A.L. Martin, "represents the changing colour phases of the thick fur coat of the Arctic fox, which are shades of brown in summer and white and bluish-grey in winter. Their eyes are often a deep golden yellow. The Arctic fox is native to Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere and is the only land mammal native to Iceland."
Red Fox
Dec 26
Fox Appreciation Day
This tartan by Carol A.L. Martin uses the striking colors of the red fox.
Miss Jenny
Dec 27
Zoological Gardens Day
Groundhog
Feb 2
Groundhog Day
According to folklore, if it is cloudy when a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day, then spring will come early; if it is sunny, the groundhog will supposedly see its shadow and retreat back into its burrow, and the winter weather will persist for six more weeks.
Western Monarch
Feb 5
Western Monarch Day
The Western Monarch (Danaus plexippus) may be the most familiar North American butterfly, with its easily recognizable black, orange, and white wing pattern. The North American monarch population is notable for its annual southward late-summer/autumn migration from the United States and southern Canada to Mexico. During the fall migration, monarchs cover thousands of miles, with a corresponding multi-generational return north.