Blogpipe and the Maitland Tartan

[Woot22]

I was reading Blogpipe today and thought Mr. Andrew Berthoff posted an interesting blog on the Maitland tartan. He says that it is a very restrictive tartan and not just anybody can order a kilt in it. He makes a strong case, well sort of, on not wearing just any old tartan but the value of a tartan being more exclusive. Not sure if I agree or disagree but it is an interesting read none the less. Here is the link;
http://blogpipe-pipesdrums.com/2010/09/

[Cygnus]

I was reading Blogpipe today and thought Mr. Andrew Berthoff posted an interesting blog on the Maitland tartan. He says that it is a very restrictive tartan and not just anybody can order a kilt in it. He makes a strong case, well sort of, on not wearing just any old tartan but the value of a tartan being more exclusive. Not sure if I agree or disagree but it is an interesting read none the less. Here is the link;
http://blogpipe-pipesdrums.com/2010/09/

I feel the same way, Woot. On the one hand, restricting tartans in the way described ensures that they're worn "properly and traditionally". On the other hand, though, had all or even most tartans been restricted in such a way, I would bet the Scottish tartan industry would have been sunk long ago, only to be replaced by cheap knock-offs and unrestricted "close mismatches" from other locales. As I've heard someone say before, "We can't have our tartan and restrict it too."

It's a good blog post, though, with an interesting perspective. Thank you for sharing it!

[figheadair]

This is an interesting departure from the norm by the weaving trade that so often weaves anything to order and one all the more unusual because the Maitland tartan is not, and canot be, protected because of its age. The only similar case which readily comes to mind is the Balmoral which is now restricted to the Royal Family & household but which the weavers were happily selling to anyone until the 1930s.

I would love to see the chiefs being far more proscriptive on their tartans as it would stop the numerous manufacturing errors that occur due to the laziness of the trade. Fortunately I think there is the prospect of a new dawn and have been working with a couple of chiefs that are interested in getting it right.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

I suppose the question is whether to make the tartan restricted and exclusive, and therefore more valuable in the same way that precious gems and rare metals are valuable (precisely because of their scarcity), or to make the tartan widely available to all and thus less expensive and easier for those who wish to wear it to obtain. Both points of view have their advantages, of course. It all depends on what your goals are for the tartan.

[Woot22]

I think my red blooded American knee jerk reaction is to cringe at anything being too restricted. Having said that, I think it is outstanding that a clan chief takes such an active role in his clan that he wants to see some sort of affiliation to the clan before you can have the tartan ordered and made into a kilt or what have you. So again I want to say that making tartans restricted is not in the best interest to the mills, the kilt makers and so on. But how cool would it be to wear a tartan that you know is only worn by a particular group and not just anyone who thinks it looks nice and has no knowledge of what or whom it represents.

[Jack Daw]

My father's mother was a Maitland, and her paternal grandfather was from the old country. It's not important for me to have a Maitland tartan as there are so many others to choose from.