THE HIGHLAND TARTAN ACT

PAST

TARTAN HAS BEEN NO STRANGER WHEN IT COMES TO ACTS OF PARLIAMENT....
IT FIRST FEATURED AS PART OF THE ACT OF PROSCRIPTION OF 1746, REFERRED TO AS THE DRESS ACT OR DISCLOTHING ACT.  SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED ON THE COMMUNITIES OF THE HIGHLANDS, EVIDENT WITH WHERE THE GOVERNMENT BUILT FORTRESSES ON A SCALE NEVER SEEN BEFORE IN THE WHOLE OF EUROPE.  THE LOCATION.... THE HIGHLANDS.
TO THEN FEATURE AGAIN IN 1782 WHEN THE ACT OF PROSCRIPTION WAS REPEALED.
THE CURRENT AND LATEST ACT IS OF COURSE THE 2008 SCOTTISH REGISTER OF TARTANS ACT. 

PRESENT

CURRENTLY TARTAN IN A LEGAL SENSE IS GOVERNED SOLEY BY THE 2008 ACT, WHICH PRESCRIBES THE DEFINITION OF THE CLOTH DESIGN AND IMPORTANTLY STATES THAT ANYONE CAN HAVE A TARTAN.
THE OFFICIAL TARTAN REGISTER IS MANAGED BY THE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT AND RECORDS TARTAN DESIGNS ALONG WITH BIRTHS, DEATHS AND MARRIAGES TO FORM PART OF SCOTLAND'S NATIONAL RECORDS.
OTHER THAN THE RECORDING OF DESIGNS NO OTHER LEGAL PROTECTION OR RESTRICTIONS EXIST.
HOWEVER....
GIVEN THE NOTORIOUS AND UNDENIABLE HISTORICAL BIRTHPLACE REFERENCES TO THE HIGHLAND REGION WE FEEL THAT FINALLY THE HIGHLAND REGIONS ROLE SHOULD BE LEGALLY IDENITIFED AND PROTECED FOR THE FUTURE

SINCE ITS DISARMING BAN IN 1746, 278 YEARS AGO AND THEN SUBSEQUENT REPEAL IN 1782 THE WEAVING OF TARTAN IN THE REGION HAS BEEN NEXT TO NON-EXISTENT.  BUT YET THIS CLOTH BECAME A GLOABL ICON WITH BILLIONS OF METRES WOVEN EVERYWHERE ELSE BUT THE HIGHLANDS....

IS NOW THE TIME TO GIVE BACK CREDIT?

WHY IS THAT HIGHLAND DRESS AS A REFERNCE IS USED GLOBALLY BUT YET OFTEN NONE OF THIS IS MADE IN THE REGION WHICH IT CARRIES IN ITS NAME?

FUTURE

WE BELIEVE THE HIGHLAND REGION AND THE HIGHLANDERS SHOULD BE GIVEN THE PROTECTED OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY A FUTURE ROLE IN THE STORY OF TARTAN ONCE AGAIN.
FROM THE REGENERATIVE FARMERS OF THE REGION TO THE NEXT GENERATIONS STUDYING THE FUTURE OF REFORMED ETHICS AND SUSTAINABILITY.
IN 1993 AN ACT OF PARLIAMENT WAS PASSED TO PROTECT A CLOTH WHICH HAS A SIGNIFICANT LINK TO PLACE.  THIS ACT WAS THE HARRIS TWEED ACT.  WE BELEIVE A PRECEDENT HAS BEEN SET.
WITH AN ACT OF PROTECTION, TARTAN CAN ONCE REVERSE NEARLY 300 YEARS OF SURPRESSION, THE ACT WOULD ALLOW US TO

TAKE TARTAN HOME....