The Return to the Ridings tartan, a project managed by the Scottish Borders  Council Homecoming Scotland team, was designed at Heriot-Watt University and woven by Robert Noble of Peebles.
 
The tartan, submitted to the Scottish Tartans World Register, was created as part of Return to the Ridings, a celebration that brings the rippling names of the eleven Scottish Borders Common Ridings & Festivals towns (Hawick, West Linton, Selkirk, Peebles, Melrose, Galashiels, Jedburgh, Duns, Kelso, Lauder and Coldstream together) which  focus their ride-outs around the use of the horses.for Homecoming Scotland 2009.  Inclusion of the tartan in the Scottish Tartans World Register will create a lasting legacy for Homecoming Scotland in the Scottish Borders.
 
Designed and pictured courtesy of Emma Arthur-Daniels, Heriot-Watt University textiles masters student, the tartan design blends the traditional values of the Border Common Ridings with modern yarns.  Each of the eleven towns  is represented in the tartan with the inclusion of their colours in the tartan over-checks. The main ground  is green, to symbolising the Borders countryside and land which the Common Ridings were designed to protect.
 
Arthur-Daniels incorporated a modern, reflective yarn into the traditional tartan design. Retroreflective yarn, designed to increase night-time safety, with its minute glass beads reflecting light back to its source. For equestrian events such as the Common Ridings taking place in the evening would reflect light such as car headlights to indicate a rider and horse ahead.
 
Originally from London, Arthur-Daniels joined the master’s course at Heriot-Watt University as it is one of the few educational establishments that offers such advanced levels of expertise.

“This was a very exciting project to be involved in and a real opportunity to develop my work in the use of textiles." she says. "Heriot-Watt has such a fine reputation in the textiles industry and it was a challenge to represent that reputation in such an important design. However I think the final product holds true to the values of the Scottish Borders Common Ridings & Festivals, while incorporating the new concept of weaving modern yarns into this type of fabric.”
 
Peebles-based textile manufacturer, Robert Noble, specialises in working with modern technical fabrics, for example fire retardant textiles for aircraft interiors. Using Robert Noble’s expertise the Retroreflective yarn was twisted with wool and woven into the tartan.

Bruce Anderson, the Selkirk Weavers Standard Bearer (right) for 2009, was part of the team that produced the Tartan. The Scottish Borders is one of the few places that has such technical expertise and companies that can successfully combined this specialist yarn with a brand new tartan.
 
The tartan has been used to create garments for the Peebles Beltane Festival Cornet Gareth Harrison (29) and his Lass, Laura Robson (25). The Principles are selected to represent their local town during the Ridings.
 
To celebrate the launch of the new Return to the Ridings tartan, Leony Mayhew, Heriot-Watt University (fashion technician) designed a floor length tailored coat for Laura, the Cornet’s Lass and with the help of Sandra Darling (fashion technician) and Jane Robertson (department superintendent) made both the coat and a waistcoat for the cornet Gareth.

Tartan goes riding Laura Robson & Gareth Harrison

To comment or register an interest in the yartan a discussion board is at the Return to the Ridings Facebook Page
 
Alistair McDade, Robert Noble, (site still under construction, but there is at least an email address) says: “The Scottish Borders has a wealth of textiles knowledge and this type of project pushes those boundaries yet again. As far as I know the use of a reflective yarn in tartan is a new concept but it is these new ideas which help keep the Scottish Borders at the forefront of the textiles industry.”
 
Andrew Johnstone, chair of the Common Ridings and Festivals Association, said: “The creation of a Return to the Ridings tartan helps put the Scottish Borders Common Ridings & Festivals on the international map as we aim to attract as many people to the events in this Homecoming year. The tartan itself has been designed to represent each of the Ridings and it something we can all be proud of now and in the future.”
 
Councillor Vicky Davidson, executive member for Economic Development, Scottish Borders Council, (right)  said: “The Scottish Borders Common Ridings & Festivals are stunning spectacles and the creation of a new tartan that combines the history of the events with modern technology is a great example of how successful economies can collaborate – combining the research expertise at the School of Textiles & Design with the product development expertise available in companies in the textiles sector here in the Borders.

"We hope that this type of activity continues and could be expanded into bigger collaborative ventures between Heriot-Watt University and local businesses.”
 
Although there are no plans to put the tartan into full production Return to the Ridings organisers will monitor demand and, if demand is sufficient, could consider commercial production. They might even chat to Time for Tee   which produces personalised tartan golf grips  for enthusiastic, Scottish golfing types!!
 
Return to the Ridings event. which since the beginning of the 16th Century celebrates centuries-old Scottish Borders Common Ridings & Festivals across the Scottish Border towns with events from June to August 2009.
 
DATES
5-13 June: West Linton Whipman
8-13 June: Selkirk Common Riding
14-20 June: Peebles Beltane
14-20 June: Melrose Festival
19-28 June: Galashiels Braw Lads Gathering
27 June-10 July: Jed Callants Festival
5-11 July: Duns Summer Festival
13-18 July: Kelso Civic Week
26 July - 1 August: Lauder Common Riding
2-8 August: Coldstream Civic Week