Tartan refers to a plaid textile design that consists of crisscrossed horizontal and vertical bands of varying width and color. Originating in Scotland, tartan patterns date back as far as the third century and were commonly used to designate distinct clans. Tartan patterns are created by alternating dyed threads, which are woven in such a way that each thread in the warp crosses each thread in the weft at right angles. The overlapping of various colors is used to create new hues. Tartan is no longer limited to textiles today, with the pattern now appearing across a variety of mediums including interior wallcoverings paper, plastics, and packaging.
