A simple glance at our Nordic Tartans is all it takes to know they are Scandinavian - cool colours and clean designs that reflect the land, the people’s story and the flags of those great nations. They’re the happiest countries on our planet according to numerous global research studies.
Line up the flags of the Nordic countries alongside Scotland’s Saltire, and you’ll also see a natural synergy. Each Nordic Tartan incorporates the iconic blue and white of the Scottish flag intertwining Scotland’s rich heritage with that of our Northern neighbours. It’s an artistic and cultural representation of the deep connections between us; a testament to our place in their history and their influence on ours. We have five tartans in our collection: Danish Tartan, Finnish Tartan, Icelandic Tartan, Norwegian Tartan and Swedish Tartan.
The Nordic Tartan Design Project
The Nordic Tartans Design Project was created by David McGill over 20 years ago and is a wonderful example of cross-cultural collaboration. David worked closely with Nordic Embassies, Consulates and Scandi-Scots hosting round table events and bringing this collection together. Each of the tartans tells the story of shared history, heritage, culture and in some cases, language.
One of our aspirations with our Nation State Tartans is to promote an outward-looking modern Scotland, and to make tartan inclusive globally. It is an easy proposition with Scandinavia as DNA forensics show us that up to 45% of Scots in some parts of our country have Scandinavian ancestry. We’ve literally millions of Viking descendants sitting in every school, every university and every office today!
Isn’t that an intercultural story of huge significance to Scots and to our Northern friends and families? Couple that with the Fire and Viking Festivals, the Norse Names of islands, towns and villages up and down Scotland and the hundreds of Norse words in the Scots language. The word ‘Kilt’ for example, ALWAYS synonymous with tartan comes from the Norse verb kjalta, meaning “to fold”.
Nordic Tartans - A Living Legacy
The Nordic Tartans don’t just honour history—they bring it to life. They symbolise the deep bonds between Scotland and Scandinavia, reminding us that our shared story is still unfolding and the legacy of the Vikings isn’t relegated to ancient history – it’s alive in our communities, our culture and our bloodlines.