A panel of fashion experts from the world of manufacturing, interiors and design will choose designers and producer who best represent Scotland’s contribution to fashion and textiles. With a strong nod to Scotland’s traditional crafts the exhibitors include a milliner, a cashmere producer, and a textiles company. Commenting on the need for collaboration, milliner, William Chambers said:

“Scotland has a great pool of talent and when we get together I think there’s strength in numbers…I like that most of us are living and working in Scotland. That excites me, and I think that us all going over to New York together helps to show it can be done”

Indeed Scotland’s textiles have a long and celebrated heritage of producing quality products that are worn the world over - Harris Tweed Made by the islanders of Outer Hebrides Harris Tweed is one of the world's most iconic fabrics. Scotland's tartans also celebrated across the world!

Today the sector supplies over 150 countries has an annual turnover of £756 million.  There is much to celebrate in 2012 as business is booming.

Key to ensuring continued demand overseas will be those in the industry making key contacts further afield and Re:Designed looks like a promising way of helping Scottish talent expose their designs to an international audience. The founder of Re:Designed, Chris Hunt emphasised the excellent reputation of Scotland’s textiles, the perception in America is that the Scottish textiles industry offers ‘quality manufacturing and design full of skill’

In creating a platform for Scottish creatives Hunt hopes that both established and new businesses will flourish ‘working with mills and designers as I do, there’s a greater than ever sense of global brands and retailers coming back to Scotland to buy quality design and manufacturing, supporting our incredibly vibrant fashion and textiles industry.

Given the New York’s importance to the fashion scene and the warm relations between Scotland and America displayed on Burns Night and events such as Scotland Week as well as the number of Americans of Scottish ancestry, Scotland Re:Designed is in a great position to make new contacts and develop strong relationships with their American counterparts.

Eight -hundred Scots have been selected to carry the flame during its eight day tour and you’ll be sure to see many wearing their tartan with pride. The tour will take in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Dundee, St Andrews, the Borders, Inverness, Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles.

This year ‘s programme  features Switzerland’s Top Secret Drum Corps, the Norwegian Armed Forces as well as pipe bands from Australia and New Zealand among the thousands of performers.  On show will be a vast number of regimental tartans which will highlight Scotland's colourful traditions to an international crowd.

Get you tickets early as this event is sure to sell out!

Attending events inspired by Scotland’s traditional culture there is no better time to display a flash of tartan, take a look at our selection of Kilts.

To see how Edinburgh has changed over time, find out more about Women of Achievement and key figures in Scottish history such as Robert Louis Stevenson visit

The resource has been put together by Edinburgh's Library and Information Services and focuses on materials from 1850–1900. Those interested in this period can also research clans and tartans which played a significant role at this time.

Many clan tartans date from the 19th century. Until the early 19th century, most of the Lowland and Border clans did not identify themselves by specific family tartans other than that of their local district, however after this time they adopted characteristics of Highland culture which they continue to use to the present day.

Whether you are paying a visit to a world famous castle such as Edinburgh or Stirling castle or planning a trip to one of the smaller castles each will capture the imagination and give you a fantastic insight into Scotland’s history. Here are a few of our favourites.

Located on Loch Duich, Eilean Donan castle is an archetypal Scottish castle its beauty, and spectacular setting, has made it the most photographed castle in Great Britain. Athough it was destroyed during one of the Jacobite risings in the 18th century, it was then restored to its former glory some two centuries later and is the headquarters of the Clan McRae. Eilean Donan has long been associated with the Macraes and was a stronghold of the chiefs of Clan Mackenzie.

There are over twelve tartans associated with Clan MacRae including the MacRae, Hunting MacRae, MacRae of Conchra or Sheriffmuir, and the Dress MacRae.

Blair Castle is the ancient seat of the Dukes and Earls of Atholl and home to the Atholl Highlanders, the last remaining private army in Europe. The Atholl tartans are the Murray of Atholl and the Murray of Tullibardin ancient.

Dunvegan is the oldest continuously inhabited castle in Scotland and has been the ancestral home of the Chiefs of Clan MacLeod for over 800 years.

Dunvegan Castle continues to hold a Clan MacLeod Parliament every four years to which MacLeod’s from all over the world return to their ancestral home for this special family gathering. Members of the clan Macleod wear the MacLeod of Lewis or the MacLeod of Harris tartan.

Inveraray Castle dates from the 18th century and is home to the Duke of Argyll, Chief of the Clan Campbell, whose family have lived in Inveraray for over five centuries.  

Clan members can wear the Maclean of Duart tartan

As well as such strongholds owned by the largest clans such as the Stewart, Douglas, Keith, MacDonald, MacLean, MacLeod, Campbell, Gordon, Forbes and Sinclairs there are many Scottish castles, tower houses and fortified houses that belonged to smaller lairds and landowners such as  the homes of the Blackadder, Carruthers, Garden, Heron, Livingstone, MacAulay, MacFarlane, Oliphant, Porterfield, Riddell and Weir clans.

Visiting the ancestral home your clan or family name bring to life the traditions, origins and stories associated with your clan. To find out more about the tartan associated with you clan contact us and we will be happy to advise you. We also offer an extensive range of clan crested items.

Take a look at our selection of welsh products

Dydd Gŵyl Dewi!

There is a very well put together search facility where you can select multiple fields including –colour, designer and restricted tartans. It also allows you to on colours and the percentage of each colour used.

Once you have established the tartan you are after take a look at our 8-yard kilts which can be woven in all but the restricted tartans. For more information our team of advisers will be happy to help!

Tam Hendry, at the CommunityMark spoke warmly about the club’s endeavours: “The renewal of our CommunityMark award is a fantastic achievement and shows that Heart of Midlothian is a club which has the wellbeing of the wider community at its very core. That this prestigious award is only given to a small number of premier brand UK companies is evidence of the quality and commitment of Hearts to being a positive force in the community.”

Heart’s supporters can get kitted out for their team’s next match with casual kilts in a range of tartans - perfect for the match!

The Cameron Tartan

During his visit to Scotland Cameron offered a deal that would offer Scotland more powers if the Scottish people voted in favour of the Union. However he declined to say how much power he would transfer to Edinburgh, arguing that the vote on independence would need to be held first.  It seems unlikely that First Minister Alex Salmond will be content with a proposal lacking details. And those in favour of maintaining the Union argue that Cameron had ‘lit the touch paper for those in favour of devo-max – one of the options the SNP want to see on the ballet paper’.