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Tartan (Scottish Gaelic: breacan [ˈpɾʲɛxkən]) is a patterned cloth consisting of criss-crossed, horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colours, forming simple or complex rectangular patterns. Tartans originated in woven wool, but now they are made in other materials. Tartan is particularly associated with Scotland, as Scottish kilts almost always have tartan patterns.

Tartan is regarded as a cultural icon of Scotland

Outside of Scotland, tartan is sometimes also known as "plaid" (particularly in North America); however in Scotland, a plaid is a large piece of tartan cloth, worn as a type of kilt, large shawl or dress, or shoulder cape.

Tartan is made with alternating bands of coloured (pre-dyed) threads woven as both warp and weft at right angles to each other, in a simple 2/2 twill pattern. Up close, this pattern forms visible diagonal lines where different colours cross; from further back, it gives the appearance of new colours blended from the original ones. The resulting blocks of colour repeat vertically and horizontally in a distinctive pattern of rectangles and lines known as a sett. (Full article...) Read more ...