Tartan vs Plaid | What Is the Difference? Which One Will You Choose?

Many people think that both tartan and plaid are the same. In fact, tartan vs plaid has some essential differences, which you may not be aware of.

For example, starting from the definition, association, cultural significance, and pattern, to color. If you want to know more about the difference between tartan and plaid, here is the review:

1. Definition

Plaid in America means a woven design with crisscrossed vertical and horizontal colored threads. So, in America, tartan designs are a class of plaid types.

However, in Scotland plaid has a different meaning. The word plaid in Scottish records originally meant blanket.

At that time, many patterns of intersecting checkers appeared in the Scottish highlands. Then, during a wave of Scottish immigration, the plaid fabric was brought to the shores of America.

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Meanwhile, tartan fabrics are plaid designs with names and history relating to certain Scottish families. These unique designs are often listed in databases and historical archives as clan tartans.

In America, plaid and tartan both describe a checkerboard pattern with vertical and horizontal crossing lines. Meanwhile, the word tartan in Scotland describes a woven design.

2. Association

So, to understand the difference between tartan and also plaid, you should know about the association between the two. The main difference between the two designs lies in the association.

As you know, plaid refers to a comfortable design that has horizontal and vertical lines that cross each other. While tartan refers to a unique pattern associated with a particular clan or organization.

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