Father's Day Gift Ideas

May 29, 2023

Birthdays, Christmas and weddings, we love any excuse to treat our friends and family to a thoughtful gift. With Father’s Day fast approaching, it’s time to show our appreciation for all the dads out there. We welcome countless dads into our stores every year as they support their sons at their fittings or get kilted up to walk their daughters down the aisle so give back with some tartan treats.

Spotlight on Our Mist Tartans

May 03, 2023

Inspired by the breathtaking scenery it’s so famous for, our exclusive Mist Tartans pay tribute to Scotland’s most iconic locations. Our first Mist was launched in 2009 and the collection embodies the contemporary style we champion. Versatile and stylish, our Mist tartans are universal so can be worn by anyone, regardless of their heritage. Find your favourite below.

Design Your Own Tartan

April 26, 2023

Scotland’s relationship with tartan spans centuries, from traditional Clan tartans to modern universal tartans, Scotland is a more colourful place thanks to these simple cloth designs. There are thought to be upwards of 7,000 different tartans and variations on record which really puts the significance of tartan into perspective. While some of these tartan designs may be restricted, meaning not just anyone can buy or wear them, there is still a significant amount of choice available to the average person when it comes to finding a tartan for a new kilt or another highlandwear item. The question is, does more...

Harris Mist Tartan Takeover

April 12, 2023

From designing and weaving the tartan to launching our collection, sharing our new Harris Mist tartan has been a proud moment for the whole team at MacGregor and MacDuff. With every department involved in some way or another and having had such a great reaction to the design, we wanted to do something more special than ever to celebrate. Having been inspired by the Isle of Harris, we thought a trip to the island would be the perfect tribute to the tartan’s roots. We hosted a fitting service and organised a photoshoot with the iconic Harris scenery as the backdrop. From start...

Celebrating Scottish Ancestry

March 23, 2023

We were recently approached by a newspaper to answer a few questions about the wearing of kilts by non-Scots. In our answers, we discussed that as long as highlandwear is worn properly and not as a joke, cultural appropriation isn’t an issue. We have mentioned previously that we see non-Scots wearing kilts as a cultural celebration and encourage everyone to wear a kilt, no matter their nationality or ancestry. After the article was published, it got us thinking about how far kilts and highlandwear have travelled throughout the world and how a small country like Scotland has been able to...

What is tartan?

February 22, 2023

Tartan is a traditional Scottish fabric pattern characterized by intersecting lines and vibrant colors running both horizontally and vertically. Originating in Scotland as early as the 3rd century, tartan plays a crucial role in Scotland's culture and history. Each Scottish clan historically had its own unique tartan pattern, symbolizing its identity and heritage. By the 18th century, tartan had become synonymous with Highland dress. Following the Jacobite's defeat at the Battle of Culloden, the British government banned tartan and all other aspects of Highland culture as a form of punishment. Today, tartan remains a powerful symbol of Scottish pride and...

Our Harris Mist Tartan

February 01, 2023

The earliest known example of tartan in Scotland is a small piece of fabric called the Falkirk Tartan. The piece of cloth was found in a pot alongside 2,000 silver coins and was named the Falkirk Tartan due to its discovery location at Bell’s Meadow, near Falkirk. The cloth is estimated to be roughly 1,700 years old which for reference was during the time of Roman occupation in Britain. The discovery of the Falkirk Tartan in 1993 underpins Scotland's relationship with tartan throughout history. Tartan isn’t just some novelty pattern that Scotland uses for tourism marketing purposes, it’s deeply seeded...

A Scottish Work of Art

November 30, 2022

Famous for its impressive architecture, vast art collection and quirky floating heads, it’s hard to think of Glasgow without Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum springing to mind. Home to the works of world renowned artists and creatives from Charles Rennie MacIntosh to Salvador Dalí, we are proud to say that MacGregor and MacDuff now stand alongside these distinguished names.

Give the Gift of Tartan this Christmas

November 02, 2022

With all the uncertainty and upheaval over the past few years, it feels like 2022 is finally the year that Christmas will be normal again. Christmas has long been considered the season for giving, but this year we’re putting a little extra thought into our seasonal shopping. Maybe it’s due to the fact that we want to gift our loved ones something personal and unique, or that we want to make more sustainable choices. Either way, at MacGregor and MacDuff you'll find something for the whole family. We’ve rounded up our favourite tartan treats so you can start ticking gifts...

Islay Mist Whisky x Islay Mist Tartan

August 23, 2022

At the start of 2022, we announced that we were partnering with Islay Mist Whisky. A whisky brand that not only shared a lot of the same values and love for Scotland that MacGregor and MacDuff do but also a whisky brand with the same name as one of our exclusive Mist tartans. When people think of Scotland, the first two things that usually come to mind are whisky and tartan, so when the opportunity arose, we jumped at the chance and since then, have accomplished so much already.

What’s the difference between tweed and tartan?

June 15, 2021

Tweed and tartan are similar as they are often both twill fabrics. Twill is a type of weave characterised by visible diagonal lines which are created by an offset in the warp of threads. This type of weave creates a durable fabric and you may be most familiar with its use in denim jeans. Traditional tartan is always a twill weave but tweed can also be weaved using a plain or herringbone structure. This is the first characteristic that differentiates the two fabrics. The next is the most noticeable difference.Where tweed is usually of plain design, usually using a solid...

Is there any difference between 'Plaid' and 'Tartan'?

February 02, 2021

So the most important difference for people in the US to note between tartan and plaid is that tartan is plaid associated with a clan. Whereas plaid holds no association with a historic clan.