Handcrafted in Nova Scotia since 1992
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Our Tartans

At Heather Knight Clothing & Gifts we specialize in Canadian tartans, with a strong focus on the tartans of Atlantic Canada. We also have access to over 500 tartans and we will gladly custom make any of our product in the tartan of your choosing.

Mobile users swipe left and right to see entire chart, including the fabrics that we use for each tartan.


Tartan History Fabric Availability

 

Nova Scotia 

The Nova Scotia Tartan was designed by artist Bessie Baily Murray. In 1953 she created a fabric mural depicting Nova Scotia rural life. On this mural was a shepherd wearing a kilt of blue, green,red, yellow and white. It was officially adopted as Canada's first official tartan in 1955.
Each colour represents what makes Nova Scotia unique.
 BLUE for the sea.GREEN (light & dark) for our trees, evergreen and deciduous. WHITE for the whitecaps on the ocean.YELLOW for the Royal Charter. RED for the lion on the flag of Nova Scotia.

65/35% Poly/Viscose

100% Wool

100% Cotton

65/35% Poly/Cotton

Polyester Fleece

 

Cape Breton

 

Cape Breton has long been considered the cultural centre of Nova Scotia. Cape Breton is well known for music, dance and the retention of the Gaelic language.
The colours of the Cape Breton Tartan are based on the poem Ode to Cape Breton.
GREY for our Cape Breton steel. GOLD for the golden sunsets on the Bras D'Or lakes. GREEN for our mountains, valleys and fields. BLACK represents the long history of coal mining

65/35% Poly/Viscose

100% Wool

100% Cotton

65/35% Poly/Cotton

Polyester Fleece

New Brunswick TartanNew Brunswick

 

The New Brunswick Tartan was designed by the Loom Crofter's Guild of Gagetown and was registered in 1959. The colours of the tartan represent all that makes New Brunswick unique.
GREEN for the long history of forestry  and agriculture.  BLUE for the coastal and inland waters. GOLD symbolizes the wealth of the province. RED for the loyalty and devotion of the early settlers.

65/35% Poly/Viscose

100% Wool

65/35% Poly/Cotton

Polyester Fleece

PEI TartanPrince Edward Island

The provincial Tartan of Prince Edward Island was designed by Mrs Jean Reid in 1960. It was adopted as the official provincial tartan in 1964. This date marks the 100th anniversary of The Charlottetown Conference which set in motion the move toward Confederation. REDDISH BROWN signifies the redness of the soil. GREEN represents the grass and trees. WHITE  is for the whitecaps on the waves. YELLOW for the sun shining bright on our gentle island.

65/35% Poly/Viscose

100% Wool

65/35% Poly/Cotton

Newfoundland TartanNewfoundland

The official tartan of Newfoundland and Labrador was designed in 1955 by Samuel B. Wilansky, a local store owner on Water Street in St. John's. It was registered in the Court of the Lord Lyon in 1973. The white, gold, and yellow come from the province's official anthem,"Ode to Newfoundland".
GREEN represents the pine forests. WHITE represents snow. BROWN represents the mineral riches of the land. YELLOW is for the sun. RED represents the Royal Standard

 

65/35% Poly/Viscose

100% Wool

100% Cotton

65/35% Poly/Cotton

Polyester Fleece

 

 

Labrador TartanLabrador

The Labrador Tartan was designed in 2009 by Michael Martin of Corner Brook, Newfoundland.This tartan has been designed to celebrate the Scottish Heritage of Labrador. The inspiration was the tartan of the Grants of Strathspey. Lord Strathcona Donald Smith was one of the founders of the Dominion of Canada and a descendant of Clan Grant. The sett and the colours have been changed to make the tartan uniquely Labradorean. Donald Smith is considered to have set the standard for fur trapping and trading that was a principle element of the pioneer economy.

65/35% Poly/Viscose

100% Wool

 

British Columbia TartanBritish Columbia

 

The British Columbia tartan was designed by Earl K Ward of Victoria in 1967. It was adopted as the official provincial tartan in 1974 through the British Columbia Tartan Act.

Each colour in the tartan was chosen to represent all that make British Columbia unique.
WHITE for the Pacific Dogwood, official flower of the province
GREEN is for the magnificent forests
BLUE is for the Pacific Ocean
RED is for Canada's national emblem of the maple leaf
GOLD is for the sun and the crown in the provincial flag.

65/35% Poly/Viscose

100% Wool

100% Cotton

 

Alberta TartanAlberta

 

Alberta’s tartan was designed by Alison Lamb and Ellen Neilsen, two ladies from the Edmonton Rehabilitation Society - a voluntary agency providing work for handicapped students. Alison Lamb was the Society’s Exec. Director and Ellen Neilsen was its weaving instructor It was adopted by the Provincial Legislature in March 1961.
The colours of the Alberta Tartan were chosen to reflect the uniqueness of this prairie provence.
PINK: represents our famous wild roses
GREEN: for our abundant forests
BLUE: is for the blue of our clear skies and sparkling lakes
BLACK: represents our coal and petroleum
GOLD: for our wheat fields and sunshine

65/35% Poly/Viscose

100% Wool

100% Cotton

 

 

Saskatchewan TartanSaskatchewan

This tartan was designed in 1961 by Mrs Lillian Michaelis Bastedo, wife of the Province’s Lieutenant-Governor. It was recorded in the Lord Lyon Book as LCB13 on 6th October 1961.The tartan has seven unique colours YELLOW for rapeseed flower and sun flower. GOLD: for our wheat fields and sunshine. BROWN: represents the summer fallow. GREEN: for our abundant forests. WHITE: snow. RED: represents the provincial flower, Western prairie lily. BLACK: for oil and coal

65/35% Poly/Viscose

100% Wool

 

 

Manitoba TartanManitoba

 

The Manitoba Tartan was created by Hugh Kirkwood in 1961 and was approved by the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba on May 1 1962.
Each colour in the Manitoba Tartan has its own significance and the symbolism may be interpreted as follows:
DARK RED: for the Red River Settlement (1812) and for the fur trade posts from which developed many of Manitoba's urban centres.
GREEN: for the rich natural resources of the Province
AZURE BLUE: for Thomas Douglas, Fifth Earl of Slekirk, founder of the Red River Settlement (Winnipeg); and also where the blue lines intersect the forks of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers.
DARK GREEN: for the multicultural population
GOLD: for the grain crops and farm produce

65/35% Poly/Viscose

100% Wool

 

Ontario TartanOntario

 

  This tartan was designed by Elsie Gillespie and registered by Rotex Ltd. It was registered in 1965 as the Ensign of Ontario Tartan.The design of the tartan was inspired by the Provincial Coat of Arms, granted by Queen Victoria in 1868. YELLOW represents the three maple leaves which appear on the green background of the coat of arms.  RED from the Cross of St. George.  BLACK represents the bear which appears at the top of the shield. BROWN is for the moose on the left and the deer on the right of the shield.

65/35% Poly/Viscose

100% Wool

 

 

Quebec TartanQuebec 

 

The Quebec tartan was designed by David Weiser and the design was registered with CIPO in 1965 by Rotex Limited. It has not been officially adopted by the province.   The structure and colours of the tartan are based on the three horizontal divisions of the provincial shield.   BLUE for the field of the upper division containing three fleur de lys. GREEN for the sprig of maple leaves on the lower division. RED for the background of the centre division. GOLD for the lion rampant in the third division and also for the crown of the crest. WHITE for the scroll with the mottto “Je me souviens”

65/35% Poly/Viscose

100% Wool

 

Nunavut TartanNunavut
100% Wool
North West Territories TartanNorth West Territories
100% Wool
Yukon TartanYukon 100% Wool
Royal Canadian Navy TartanRoyal Canadian Navy
100% Wool

RCAF TartanRoyal Canadian Air Force

The story of the RCAF tartan goes back to January 1942. Group Captain Elmer G. Fullerton designed the tartan. He was station commander of No. 9 Service Flying Training School, RCAF Station Summerside, PEI. The original sample of the proposed RCAF Tartan was created by Patricia Jenkins and Loom crofters of Gagetown, N.B. The Gagetown weavers also added a white line in the design. Approval was granted on Aug. 15, 1942 and the design was officially registered as the RCAF tartan. The RCAF was the first air force in the world to have its own distinctive tartan.

65/35% Poly/Viscose

100% Wool

RCMP TartanRoyal Canadian Mounted Police

 100% Wool

Maple Leaf TartanMaple Leaf

 

 

The Maple Leaf is Canada's most recognized symbol. The Maple Leaf Tartan was created by David Weiser in anticipation of the 100th anniversary of Canada's confederation in 1967. He chose colours to represent the seasonal changes of the maple leaf. It was designed to be worn by Canadians from all backgrounds, regardless of their ancestry, as a symbol of national pride.This tartan was approved for use by the Canadian Armed Forces in 1970.  It was officially declared the National Tartan of Canada in 2011.

65/35% Poly/Viscose

100% Wool

100% Cotton

65/35% Poly/Cotton

Royal Stewart TartanRoyal Stewart

 

This is the tartan of Scotland's last reigning Royal Family.
Presently, it is the personal tartan of Queen Elizabeth II.
The first Stewart monarch was King Robert II who took the throne in 1371. The fate if the Stewart line of royalty was a sad one. Many died in battle, suffered exile or were murdered.
In 1746 Prince Charles Stewart made the final attempt to regain the throne from the British. His defeat at the Battle of Culloden led to the banning of the Highlander's kilts, clans and language.

65/35% Poly/Viscose

100% Wool

100% Cotton

65/35% Poly/Cotton

Polyester Fleece

Dress Stewart TartanDress Stewart

 

This is the dress version of the tartan of Scotland's last reigning Royal Family.
Presently, it is the personal tartan of Queen Elizabeth II.
The first Stewart monarch was King Robert II who took the throne in 1371. The fate if the Stewart line of royalty was a sad one. Many died in battle, suffered exile or were murdered.
In 1746 Prince Charles Stewart made the final attempt to regain the throne from the British. His defeat at the Battle of Culloden led to the banning of the Highlander's kilts, clans and language.

65/35% Poly/Viscose

100% Wool

 

Blackwatch TartanBlack Watch

 

The Royal Highland Regiment was raised in Scotland in 1739. Designated to patrol at night against livestock raiders, they wore kilts of dark blue and green. This earned them the Gaelic name of “Am Freiceadan Dubh", or Black Watch. They were the first and one of only seven regiments to wear the kilt. The tartan of the Black Watch is recognized and respected the world over as a hallmark of outstanding service in peace and war.
Motto
Nemo me impune lacessit
No one attacks with impunity

65/35% Poly/Viscose

100% Wool

100% Cotton

65/35% Poly/Cotton

Polyester Fleece

Isle of Skye TartanIsle of Skye 

65/35% Poly/Viscose

100% Wool