Over the centuries, tartan evolved from a regional fabric to a global symbol of identity. Whether worn by Scottish clans, adopted by royals, or embraced by revolutionaries, tartan remains a potent emblem of cultural heritage, social activism, and personal expression. The heart of the Rebel Tartan Project is a collection of contemporary tartans promoting progressive global social causes, with several new tartans in the works.
Keeling Tartan – Climate Change
“The Keeling tartan symbolises a wholesale shift in the energy basis of civilisation, from fossil fuels (grey and black track) to 100 per cent clean energy (green and yellow track). It is named in honour of the late Charles David Keeling of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, whose measurements from 1958 onwards supplied the first concrete evidence of rapidly increasing carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere, commonly known as the ‘Keeling Curve’. Today, ninety-seven percent of actively publishing climate scientists agree that man-made climate change is for real. Permission to adopt the Keeling name was graciously granted by his son, Ralph Keeling, director of the Scripps CO2 Program that continues the vital measurement series to this day.” Scottish Register of Tartans.
Keeling Dress Tartan – Climate Change
“The Keeling Dress tartan symbolises a wholesale shift in the energy basis of civilisation, from fossil fuels (grey and black track) to 100 per cent clean energy (white and yellow track). It is named in honour of the late Charles David Keeling of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, whose measurements from 1958 onwards supplied the first concrete evidence of rapidly increasing carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere, commonly known as the ‘Keeling Curve’. Today, ninety-seven percent of actively publishing climate scientists agree that man-made climate change is for real. Permission to adopt the Keeling name was graciously granted by his son, Ralph Keeling, director of the Scripps CO2 Program that continues the vital measurement series to this day.” Scottish Register of Tartans.
Havel Tartan – Censorship
“The Havel tartan portrays an endless succession of prison cell windows struck through in red, protesting the persecution and imprisonment of writers of conscience in the knowledge that free expression is an essential component of every healthy society. It is named in honour of the late Vaclav Havel, the dissident playwright and co-author of Charter 77, the landmark human rights declaration for which he was imprisoned for several years, only to lead the ‘Velvet Revolution’ that peacefully overthrew communism and installed him as Czechoslovakia’s president. Charter 77 was also the inspiration for Charter 08, the petition demanding the end of one-party rule in China for which author Liu Xiaobo is currently serving an 11-year sentence. Permission to adopt the Havel name was graciously granted by his wife, Dagmar Havlova Veskrnova, with assistance from the Dagmar and Vaclav Havel Foundation VIZE 97 and PEN International, the worldwide writers’ association promoting literature and defending freedom of expression.” Scottish Register of Tartans.
Liberty Square Tartan – Inequality
Liberty Square symbolises the golden rule of contemporary capitalism: ‘Those with the Gold make the Rules’. In a throwback to the gilded age, the spoils go to a very few (represented by the gold stripes), while the ordinary citizen (centre) is gradually disempowered. In the US, real wages for average workers are slightly below their 1970 level, whereas the top 0.1 per cent has increased its share nearly fourfold, with the 400 richest people now having assets equal to the poorest 140 million. Writing in the Financial Times, Jeremy Grantham, head of asset manager GMO, admitted the system is “designed to prolong, protect and intensify the wealth and influence of those who already have the wealth and influence”. This tartan honours the Occupy protesters around the world who have recognised the danger and stepped up to demand transparency, reform and equality of opportunity.” Scottish Register of Tartans.
Yamaguchi Tartan – Nuclear Proliferation
“The Yamaguchi Tsutomu tartan transforms the nuclear hazard sign into a radiant symbol of hope for a nuclear-free future. Its inspiration was the peace memorial ceremonies held every August in Japan and around the world, when lanterns bearing messages of peace are floated to commemorate those who perished in the atom bomb attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki that killed 150,000 people. This tartan is named in honour of the late Tsutomu Yamaguchi, the only officially recognised survivor of both atom bomb attacks and an outspoken critic of nuclear weapons. “My life is a dewdrop,” goes one of his poems. “Living for fifty years after the atomic bombings; I am still wishing for a nuclear-free world.” Permission to adopt the Yamaguchi name was graciously granted by his daughter, Toshiko Yamasaki, with assistance from Hidetaka Inazuka, producer of the documentary film “Twice Bombed: A Legacy of Yamaguchi Tsutomu”. Scottish Register of Tartans.
Tahrir Tartan – Tyranny
“The Tahrir tartan charts the journey from dictatorship to democracy in the Middle East (Tahrir is a word of Arabic origin meaning ‘liberation’). The single black line signifies the martyrdom of 26-year-old Mohamed Bouazizi, the oppressed street trader whose desperate act of self-immolation ignited the revolution (represented by the red stripe) that has swept the region, catalysing similar movements worldwide. The green square represents the state building period when new institutions must be established to guarantee the basic rights and freedoms that people are fighting for. The double black lines symbolise statutory opposition, the cornerstone of any enduring democracy. This tartan honours the many thousands of Arab youth who risked everything to free themselves from the grip of authoritarian regimes, reclaim their dignity and shape their own destiny.” Scottish Register of Tartans.
Blueheart Tartan – Human Trafficking
“The Blueheart tartan is a corporate tartan endorsed by the United Nations’ Blue Heart Campaign, an international initiative to raise awareness of the plight of human trafficking victims. The campaign is coordinated by the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime. The Blueheart tartan symbolises the collective heartbeat (light blue lines) of those who are trafficked and provides another way for people to show their solidarity against this modern form of slavery, represented in the tartan by the black lines that intersect to form a cage.” Scottish Register of Tartans.
