Jock,

As you said, this is already happending to a large extent. You have tartans now for countries, states, towns, counties, regions, clubs, organizations, etc., etc., outwith Scotland. Some of these are novelties. Some are quite popular. Some are officially recognized. Others are fashion designs. It is indeed happening.

But is it ever likely to outpace the popularity of the traditional Scottish clan tartan in kilt wearers world wide? I doubt it.

The reason boils down to why people choose to wear the kilt. Now there are people (many on this forum) who wear the kilt because they like to wear the kilt, irrespective of what Scottish ancestry they may or may not have. They would wear the kilt if they were Scottish, Irish, English, Japanese, or South American. They just like the kilt. If this is your approach to kilt wearing, discovering that there is a tartan for your native country, state, town, etc., may be seen as a great way that you can participate in the tradition of tartan wearing without stepping on the toes of a Scottish clan you bear no relation to.

On the other hand, I would say that the great majority of people who don the kilt do so primarily for reasons of honoring and celebrating their Scottish heritage. And for these folks, the tartan of their anscestral clan (whether those ties be direct or more round-about) will be their first choice. Now these folks may very well be interested in a kilt in their state or town tartan as a second kilt. But their first option will be for their traditional clan tartan.

I certainly think there is room for both in the kilt-wearing world. And there is a place for purely fashion tartans that are generic and don't pretend to represent anything. I enjoy wearing my Highland Granite kilt -- I like it for the color scheme. But it doesn't have the same meaning or connection for me as does my Armstrong tartan kilt, which makes me think of my grandmother every time I put it on.