Shop the full Dunbar tartan line below. Kilts, jackets, fabric, scarves, ties and sashes are all available in your choice of colourway, made to order and dispatched worldwide.
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Dunbar Tartan Fabric for Makers
Makers and tailors can buy Dunbar tartan cloth by the yard or metre. Pure new wool and poly-viscose options cover everything from formal kilts to home and craft uses.
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Dunbar Tartan Kilts & Outfit Packages
Order a made-to-measure Dunbar kilt or full outfit tailored to your measurements. Add a jacket, sporran, belt and hose to finish the look for weddings, ceilidhs and Highland games.
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Colourway Options for Dunbar Tartan
Each Dunbar item can be ordered in Modern, Ancient, Weathered or Dress colourways — from strong, vivid tones to soft, muted and formal finishes. Select your preference before checkout.
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Custom Orders & Worldwide Shipping
Made to order and sent worldwide: Dunbar tartan kilts, outfits and accessories can be sized to fit, with bulk pricing for groups and events.
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Dunbar Tartan for Burns Night & Ceilidhs
Dunbar tartan is a popular choice for weddings, Highland games and family gatherings, with matching pieces for the whole group.
Clan Motto
In Promptu (In readiness)
Heritage & Identity
Who Wears Dunbar Tartan Tartan?
Worn by Dunbar descendants worldwide, sept families including Dundas and Gospatrick bearers, Scottish nobility, and Highland heritage enthusiasts across America, Canada, and Scotland.
Associated Names
Dundas
Gospatrick
Dunbarr
Dumbar
de Dunbar
MacCospatrick
Cospatrick
Gospatric
Dunbarre
Dumbarr
MacGospatrick
Dunbert
Dunberton
Dunbarton
Military Heritage
Associated Regiments
Dunbar warriors served with distinction in Scottish Border regiments, Royal Scots units, and colonial forces, particularly excelling in British Army service throughout North America and India.
Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment)
King's Own Scottish Borderers
Scots Guards
Royal Scots Fusiliers
Highland Light Infantry
Canadian Scottish Regiment (Canada)
Nova Scotia Highlanders (Canada)
Shop Dunbar Tartan Products
Discover authentic Dunbar clan products including traditional kilts, Highland dress accessories, clan crests, tartan scarves, ties, and ceremonial items crafted for descendants across North America.
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Dunbar Tartan Tartans
0 Variations
Each tartan can feature several variations, with the most common being Ancient, Modern, Weathered, Hunting and Dress.
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Ancient Tartan
Before 1860, all fabric dyes came from nature — plants, berries, bark, and insects. The colours they produced were softer and more muted than what we're used to today: think mossy greens, dusty sky blues, and reds with a warm, orangey tone. A lot of people actually prefer Ancient tartans for this reason — the gentler contrasts let the pattern breathe and stand out in a way that bolder colours sometimes don't. Worth knowing: the pattern itself, called the sett, is exactly the same across all variations of a tartan. It's only the colours that change.
Modern Tartan
Modern tartans came about after 1860, when chemical dyes replaced natural ones. The difference is pretty striking. Those soft, earthy greens became deep bottle green. Pale blues turned into rich navy. Reds went from warm and muted to full-on scarlet. If you're after something bold and vivid, Modern is usually the one to go for. It's the version most people picture when they think of a classic tartan.
Weathered Tartan
Weathered tartans take their inspiration from what happens to fabric left out in the elements — faded by sun, softened by rain, worn in by time. The colours shift towards olive greens, warm browns, and very pale blues, with reds that fade down to something close to a dusty pink. It's a more rustic, lived-in look, and honestly a really beautiful one. If you want something that feels a little more understated and natural, Weathered is worth a look.
Hunting Tartan
Hunting tartans are essentially the camouflage version of a clan's tartan — greens and browns brought forward so the wearer could move through the landscape without standing out. Not every clan has one, and that's by design. If a tartan is already mostly green or brown (like the Black Watch or Gunn), there's no need to adapt it. But a tartan like the Fraser, which is predominantly red, would make someone very easy to spot in the field — so a Hunting version makes a lot of sense for clans like that.
Dress Tartan
Dress tartans were made for the big occasions — Highland games, celebrations, and traditional dance. The pattern stays the same, but the main colour is swapped out for white, or extra white is woven in to give it a lighter, more formal feel. As you'd expect from the Scots, the rules get bent every now and then — yellow has been used instead of white in some cases, which is exactly how the famously bold MacLeod Dress Modern and Barclay Dress Modern came to be.
The Dunbar Tartan Story
Four centuries of history woven into every thread
Border Earls
The Dunbar clan traces its origins to Gospatrick, Earl of Northumbria, who received lands in Scotland from Malcolm Canmore around 1072. His descendants became the powerful Earls of Dunbar, controlling vast territories along the Scottish Borders. The family established their seat at Dunbar Castle, a formidable clifftop fortress overlooking the North Sea. Early Dunbar earls wielded enormous influence in medieval Scotland, serving as Marchers of the Eastern Borders and defending against English incursions. The clan's strategic position made them kingmakers in Scottish politics, with successive generations supporting Scottish independence while maintaining their ancient noble privileges and extensive landholdings throughout the Lothians.
Political Shifts
During the Wars of Scottish Independence, the Dunbar earls played crucial but complex roles, sometimes supporting both Scottish and English causes as political circumstances demanded. The 10th Earl of Dunbar, Patrick, initially supported John Balliol but later allied with Edward I of England, creating lasting tensions within the clan. However, many Dunbar cadets remained loyal to Scottish independence, fighting alongside Robert the Bruce at Bannockburn. The family's political maneuvering reflected the difficult position of Border nobles caught between two kingdoms. Despite these challenges, the Dunbars maintained their earldom and expanded their influence through strategic marriages, establishing cadet branches throughout Scotland and northern England.
Where does the name Dunbar Tartan come from?
Dunbar derives from Gaelic 'Dun Baer' meaning 'fort on the height' or 'summit fortress.' The name originates from the ancient fortress town of Dunbar in East Lothian, Scotland, where the clan held the earldom from the 11th century. This place-name surname reflects the family's role as powerful Border lords, controlling the strategic coastal fortress that guarded Scotland's southeastern approaches from their clifftop stronghold.
Clan Downfall
The 15th century brought the dramatic downfall of the Dunbar earldom when the 11th Earl George rebelled against James IV in 1435. Following his defeat and forfeiture, Dunbar Castle was destroyed and the earldom abolished, scattering the clan throughout Scotland and beyond. Many Dunbars fled to Ireland, England, and later to North America, establishing new branches of the family tree. Despite losing their ancient titles, Dunbar descendants distinguished themselves as merchants, soldiers, and scholars. The clan adapted to changing times while preserving their proud heritage, with branches settling in Ulster, the American colonies, and eventually Canada, where they became prominent in military service, politics, and commerce throughout the expanding British territories.
Global Expansion
Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, Dunbar descendants embraced opportunities across the British Empire while maintaining connections to their Scottish roots. Clan members served as officers in Highland regiments, colonial administrators in India and Canada, and pioneers in Australia and New Zealand. Notable Dunbars included military leaders, diplomats, and merchants who established trading companies throughout North America. The family produced distinguished scholars, including ministers and educators who founded schools and colleges in the New World. In Scotland, remaining Dunbar families adapted to agricultural improvements and industrial changes, while emigrants established thriving communities from Nova Scotia to Virginia, preserving clan traditions through Highland societies and family gatherings.
The Dunbar tartan embodies the noble heritage of Scotland's ancient earls, from Battle of Dunbar victories to global descendants preserving their distinguished legacy.
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