Tartan of Wisconsin

Wisconsin adopted an official state tartan in 2007. All State Tartans

According to the Wisconsin Blue Book: "The design selected was chosen to reflect the diversity and uniqueness of the state. Historically, tartans served to identify Scottish highland clans and families. Wisconsin’s tartan is a hunting tartan with a blue green background and multiple stripes of various colors.  The color scheme reflects the tartans of many notable Wisconsin families of Scottish ancestry and the natural resources and industries of Wisconsin.

The color brown represents the fur trade; grey represents lead mining; green represents the lumber industry; blue reflects the two Great Lakes bordering Wisconsin, commercial and recreational fishing, and the resort industry; yellow signifies the dairy and brewing industries; red represents the University of Wisconsin System; and, where yellow and green stripes intersect, it represents Wisconsin’s professional sports teams, exemplified by the Green Bay Packers."

What is a Tartan?

Tartan is defined as a cloth with a twill weave, usually made of wool, using a unique pattern of multicolored stripes in both directions, and accepted by some group as "theirs." Tartans represent clans (families) or regions in Scotland.  In old Scotland, the tartan was used for clothing. Because a family or community worked the cloth together, their clothing was made of the same patterns. In the eighteenth century Clan Tartans were adopted and a person could be recognized by the tartan they wore. Tartans can also be designed as a symbol to commemorate a special event or person.

A tartan pattern is traditionally called a "sett." When woven, the sett is mirrored in all directions and defined by a particular thread count.