The ROYAL NAVY Tartan – ‘For Those in Peril on the Sea’

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International Tartans, Royal Navy, Royal Navy Tartan

The design of the Royal Navy tartan encompasses those colours historically associated with the Senior Service: red, white and blue for the various ensigns, royal purple for its title, and all in a setting of navy blue: the sea, the endless sea.

As such it is intended to provide a common bond between ‘sailors’ regardless of rank, and identity for informal occasions, and even everyday wear.

It is, however, more than just a symbol of brotherhood/sisterhood. International Tartans operates a policy of sharing and caring by contributing to ‘good causes’ with a nautical background.

Registered with the Scottish Tartans World Register No. STWR 2840

The ETHIOPIA tartan and the Nobel Peace Prize

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Abiy Ahmed ALi, ethiopia, ethiopia tartan, International Tartans, nobel peace prize

This year’s Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to Abiy Ahmed Ali, President of Ethiopia, “for his efforts to achieve peace and international cooperation, and in particular for his decisive initiative to resolve the border conflict with neighbouring Eritrea.” The next initiative he says is to unite the 80 or so tribes and ethnic groups that make up the 105 million population in one of the world’s oldest and poorest countries.

The flag of Ethiopia uses the colours red, yellow and green, which have come to be known as the ‘Pan-African’ colours, and have been adopted into the flags of a dozen other nations. The Ethiopia tartan comprises these, along with the central blue circle and gold pentagram, to create a unifying symbol that embodies an entire nation. The unique qualities of tartan are such that this ‘national’, inter-tribal symbol can be used in a wide variety of ways and forms from every-day and ceremonial clothing and accessories, to giftware and printed paper goods.

Alache Malia Ode OBE, lecturer in International Development at Birkbeck College, University of London described each of the designs in the ‘tartans for Africa’ range as

‘Tartans that inspire self-pride, a kind of cultural connectivity that is positive by using a product from one culture to infuse cultural relevance in another. In a subtle way, it represents the entirety of what multiculturalism, interculturalism or whatever ‘isms’ seek to achieve.’

The world recognises tartan as Scottish in origin, but gifting this unique design to Ethiopia at a time when it is once again in the international spotlight can only highlight the ‘ism’ of our common humanity in a way that benefits both nations.

To celebrate President Abiy Ahmed Ali’s achievement International Tartans have created a unique gift in the Ethiopia tartan which will be sent to the Ethiopian Embassy in London for forwarding to Addis Ababa.

The Ethiopia tartan on display at ‘Tartans for Africa’ fashion show:

Bordersbags – bags with heart and soul

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Bordersbags, crowdfunding, International Tartans, ReTweed

As we venture ever further into this great ocean of madness that has gripped our daily lives, every now and then we come across a little island of sanity that gives us hope. It may be small, tiny in fact in the great scheme of things, but hopeful nevertheless.

ReTweed is one such island: a social enterprise based in the picturesque town of Eyemouth on the Berwickshire coast where women are being trained in the traditional crafting skills, in what once the heartland of Scotland’s textile industry. Run by a small highly-efficient management team and staffed by dedicated volunteers, some sixty-four women of all ages have completed a certificated course which has given them the qualifications and skills needed to enter the world of work. It has also given them a unique opportunity to work as individuals and as part of a team. For me, a visit to ReTweed’s workshop in Eyemouth’s High Street is a happy few hours amongst happy people.

International Tartans has worked closely with ReTweed for the last three years. What began as a donation of scraps of tartan has developed into a commercial relationship in which ReTweed have supplied us with a wide range of tartan accessories for customers in over a dozen countries. We are currently working on the development of new products, but this latest venture by ReTweed is entirely their own. Bags are just bags you might say, but Bordersbags takes them to a new level. Made by graduate trainees from surplus curtain material these simple, practical Tote bags give everyone the opportunity to do something positive. As one supporter remarked:

“What a fantastic initiative, combining lots of really positive work in one amazing project! Supporting women, developing skills, bringing communities together, supporting entrepreneurs, reducing waste to landfill and reducing plastic, supporting food banks, it’s incredible!”

International Tartans has ordered four bags: two will be donated to the local foodbank and the two others will be sent as gifts to Greta Thunberg and Nicola Sturgeon. And as an added bonus for me personally, ReTweed has made my Christmas shopping into a no-brainer. Everyone will get a Bordersbag or a photograph of the one going to a foodbank in their name.

For more information about Bordersbags and how to order one visit https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/bordersbags-from-retweed—plastic-free-bags

The Catalunya Escocia Tartan

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Catalunya Escocia Tartan, Catalunya Tartan, david mcgill, International Tartans

Letter published in The National Newspaper Thursday 8th August

It may interest you to know that the good people of Catalonia actually have their own tartan. Commissioned by Catalans in Edinburgh the Catalunya Escocia tartan is registered no. 11163 on the Scottish Register of Tartans. The colours are based on the ‘Estelada’, the flag of the independence movement in Catalonia.

It was launched at a fashion show in Glasgow, the occasion being the ‘Football Fashionistas’ fashion show at the second Tartan & Turban Burns Supper at the Thistle Hotel in aid of ‘Show Racism the Red Card.’ It represented Barcelona.

The event was organised by the Sikh community in the West of Scotland and compered by Hardeep Sing Kholi. His fee was a kilt in the Spirit of India tartan.

 

The FINNISH tartan

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european unuion, finland, finnish tartan, international, International Tartans

Congratulations to Finland which has taken over the Presidency of the European Union Commission for the third time. Finland is a valued member of the International Tartans family.

From the Middle Ages, multitudes of Scots flocked to Russia, and some of them became the most famous names of the Scottish Diaspora. Literally, hundreds of Scots became distinguished in the history, industrial development and culture of this part of the Baltic. An envious English observer noted in 1805 that, ‘to come from the north side of the Tweed is the best recommendation a man can bring to St. Petersburg’. At this time modern-day Finland was a Grand Duchy and still part of the Russian Empire.

By one of these strange acts of fate master machinist James Finlayson of Penicuik’s arrival in St. Petersburg coincided with Czar Alexander I’s desire to promote Russia’s industrial development, and on a tour of the neighbouring Grand Duchy of Finland in 1820, Finlayson discovered the fast-flowing waters at Tammefors (Tampere):: the perfect place to make machinery for Russia’s fast-expanding empire. And from making textile machinery Finlayson soon progressed to making the textiles themselves. A devout Christian, Finlayson’s new factory at its peak employed over 3000 workers and was a model of good management.

And so Finland’s industrial revolution was born and Finland’s second city of Tampere arose.

The Finlayson brand still survives to this day as does his reputation as marked on his headstone. “His spiritual qualities and his love of mankind have seen his name being one deeply respected in Finland’s industrial and national history”

The Finnish tartan combines the colours in the flags of Finland and Scotland.

Registered with the Scottish Tartans Register  No. 3179.

 

The Japanese tartan

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International Tartans, japan, japanese tartan, tartan

A German-speaking Swiss national with a Russian Christian name and a Polish family name is one of International Tartans latest customers. And to prove that tartan is truly international what tartan did he choose – the Japanese tartan. Here is Boris in all his splendour.

The Malawi tartan

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david mcgill, International Tartans, malawi

Colin Cameron and his wife Alison return to Malawi to celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of his arrival in what was then the Preotectorsate of Nyasaland. A former Cabinet Minister in the first Malawian government and 16 years as Malawi’s Honorary Consul in Scotland Colin presented gifts of Malawi tartan scarves and ties and Golden Thistle badges to his hosts.

The MALAWI tartan is registered no. 3221 on the Scottish Register of Tartans. The colours are a combination of those in the flags of Malawi and Scotland. It is one of twenty-four tartans in the ‘Tartans for Africa’ range used to promote African countries internationally, whilst providing a valuable source of funds for humanitarian projects.

A number of Government Ministers, MP’s and MSP’s have presented Malawi tartan cloth and accessories to their counterparts in Malawi, and dozens of schools and charitable organisations in Scotland have been able to use the Malawi tartan to raise funds for a variety of projects throughout Malawi.

 

The JOHN MUIR Tartan

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david mcgill, International Tartans, john muir

The JOHN MUIR  tartan was created in 1998 for the 150th anniversary of John Muir’s arrival in the United States and launched at a reception in the San Francisco Bay area City of Pleasanton in 2002, when Muir’s grandson accepted an inscribed tartan clock and a picture frame on behalf of the Muir family.

The colours in the John Muir Tartan were chosen to represent what Muir first saw, and invited us all to see, long before man walked on the moon: the fragile earth spinning silently through infinite space.”

The designer, David McGill, likes to refer to Muir as the “First Citizen of the Universe.” A postcard of the Tartan and an imaginary letter from Muir to his wife Louie were distributed at the photographic exhibition of the photographer Ken Paterson “In the Footsteps of John Muir” at Federal Hall in New York City in April 2013.

 

The MANCHESTER REDS tartan

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International Tartans, manchester tartan

When Vikki Toner from Durham marries her sweetheart next month she will make a little bit of football history. Working on the principle that ‘if you can’t beat them join them’ Vikki and her husband-to-be (a Man Utd  fanatic who wishes to remain nameless) will be joined at the ceremony by Manchester United. Not by the team, but by a ‘handfast’ made from the ‘Manchester Reds’ tartan.

‘Handfasting’ is a traditional part of the wedding ceremony which at one time was common practice in Scotland. During the oaths the couples hands are bound together by strips of cloth or ribbon to signal their lifelong bond, hence the expression ‘tying the knot’. The knot is likely to remain in place until the next home game at Old Trafford.

The INDIANA tartan

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david mcgill, indiana, International Tartans

The inspiration behind the Indiana tartan was a great ‘Hoosier’ who became a great Scot, Wallace Allen (Wally) Shaw from Crawfordsville. At this year’s Columbus Scottish Festival International Tartans offered an Indiana tartan kilt or kilted skirt as a raffle prize in his memory. Since raffles are not legal in the State of Indiana the Governor had to give his consent, and the lucky winner was Dorothy ‘Dot’ Scott of Jeffersonville who is pictured wearing her made-to-measure skirt. The proceeds from the raffle will help to stage next year’s Festival.

Wally Shaw was a philosopher, minister, teacher and published author who introduced the philosophy and the study of world religions to Scottish schools. He founded ‘Operation Friendship’  and ‘The Radicals’ theatre group who performed five of his plays at the Edinburgh International Festival.

http://www.livingphilosophy.org.uk/