Lord Simple, director of the 2009 Gathering is calling for legislation to prevent cloth woven overseas being sold as ‘made in Scotland’. Currently, tourists in Scotland have no real guarantee that the kilt or scarf they are buying is the genuine article, and merchandise is often misleadingly labelled.
The Scottish Tartans Authority has already made moves asking the European Parliament to give legal protection for genuine Scottish tartan products , in much the same way that Scottish whisky is protected.
Unfortunately it seems to be all too easy for vendors to mislead customers, even with protection schemes in place, and will probably be a tricky battle to win. In the meantime, if you’re planning on buying tartan, check the vendors credentials and don’t be fobbed off with cheap imitations!