At International Tartans, we believe tartan should be as inclusive as its threads are intertwined. Too often, the image of tartan is wrapped up—quite literally—in the stereotype of ‘men in kilts.’ But we’re here to unfurl a broader, bolder vision. Tartan is more than a Highland fling; it’s a fabric of heritage, a banner of identity, and a platform for storytelling that stretches beyond Scotland’s borders.
We’re not alone in this mission. Fellow pioneers, such as Lochcarron (‘from the kilt to the catwalk’) and the rebellious women of Prickly Thistle (The Highland Rebels!) are boldly weaving new paths for tartan. Here in our seaside town in the South of Scotland, we’re creating our own tribute to trailblazing women. Our collection includes tartans dedicated to remarkable figures, from the regal Queen of Scots tartan to the Serbia Tartan, honouring the formidable Elsie Inglis. Serbia has statues celebrating her achievements, yet in Scotland, our heroines remain too often in the shadows. A threadbare recognition that needs mending—but that’s a rant for another time!
This year’s International Women’s Day theme, #AccelerateAction, feels particularly fitting as we reflect on a special commission for a brand new tartan design. The Siham Dabbagh Commemorative Tartan was designed in memory of a pioneering woman whose legacy is stitched into the very fabric of Palestinian heritage. Siham Dabbagh dedicated her life to empowering Palestinian women and preserving their cultural identity. As leader of the General Union of Palestinian Women in Kuwait and founder of the Palestinian Cultural Centre in Jordan, she championed education, creative industries, and—most notably—traditional embroidery, a craft that carries the weight of history in every stitch.
The torch has been passed to the next generation. Siham’s granddaughter, Samar Hejazi, continues the family’s affiliation to textiles as a contemporary artist inspired by traditional crafts. And it was another of Siham’s granddaughters who commissioned this tartan—an elegant weave of Palestinian heritage and Scottish tradition—to wear at her wedding in St Andrews. A tapestry of two cultures, interwoven in the most meaningful way.
That’s the magic of tartan. It’s not just a pattern; it’s a proclamation. It celebrates, unites, and honours those whose legacies deserve to be woven into history. This International Women’s Day, we salute the women who refuse to be invisible threads—those who weave their own stories, stitch by stitch, into the world’s collective fabric.