March 3, 2022
With a rich history stretching back more than 187 years, Macnaughtons have been producing the finest tartan since 1835 and to this day, we are proud to be one of the oldest family businesses operating in Scotland.
The House of Edgar’s roots can be traced far back to the 19th century when it originated in Edinburgh as a wholesale draper to the tailoring trade in the city, providing them with tweeds and other fabrics. The Macnaughton Group acquired the company in 1965 when it was sold by the final proprietor, William Edgar.
The history of tartan is often surrounded by myth and muddle. However, what is clearly understood is that from its ancient Celtic roots to its enduring popularity today, no other textile design acts as such a powerful and globally recognised symbol.
Although our business has retained many of our traditional skills & values, advances in modern technology and machinery have allowed us to evolve and offer an overall higher quality product and an even better customer service.
Modern techniques have reduced production times to a fraction of what they once were, and computer-aided design software have opened up an infinite range of tartan design possibilities.
To this day, we strongly believe that there is no substitute for our many generations of experience and our ‘craftsman’s eye’ for detail. We proudly check all of our fabrics by hand before they leave our facilities and as a result, we’re able to offer an unrivalled quality.
We are proud that our entire manufacturing process is based in Scotland – dyeing of yarn, warping, weaving, mending, sourcing & finally, finishing.
All our fabrics are woven in Keith, in the Scottish Highlands, using our specially adapted tartan making looms.
By controlling our own production line, we can guarantee the very highest standards of quality and workmanship are met, throughout the full process.
Next, our fabric is transported South to Galashiels, in the Scottish Borders, for the ‘finishing’ stage of the process.
The fabric is then sent onto our purpose-built, kilt-making facility in Paisley, on the outskirts of Glasgow.
Finally, our kilts make their way to our Headquarters in Perth, for a final inspection, before being distributed to our stockists around the world.
The House of Edgar is one of Scotland’s leading manufacturers of authentic wool tartan fabric that offers an extensive range of products, for excellent value for money and an extremely personal customer experience.
Our tartan can be found in every corner of the world. We proudly supply stockists in over 20 countries, including the USA, Australia, and Canada, to name a few.
To provide the speedy delivery for which we are renowned, we stock over 1,000 Clan, District and Irish County tartans in a variety of weights and compositions, together with a range of supporting products. These include a wide selection of highland dress items such as bespoke kilts, jackets, waistcoats, flashes, hose, ties, and scarves.
If you’d like to find out more about the products we produce or would like to enquire about becoming a stockist of our high-quality Highlandwear, please get in touch with our dedicated customer service team by emailing [email protected]
