TANZANIAN TARTANS ABROAD

In February 2008, Tanzanian craft workers exhibited their products at the World Women Trade Fair & Expo in Santa Monica, California and were provided with wrapping paper from the International Tartans of Edinburgh UK.

It has been reported that these wrapping papers were a huge success.  Not only were the craft workers thrilled to have something so representative of Tanzania and which could add value to their products, but they were proud to be able to publicize their country.  It is reported that they even sold individual sheets of paper as souvenirs.

Mr. David McGill owns and runs a business called International Tartans and has designed tartans and produces over 25 products in each, ranging from clothing items and accessories to gift wrapping paper.

A Tanzanian designed Tartan, which is part of the Tartans for Africa project, is supported by the Tanzania Trade Centre in London, as an effort to promote Tanzania as a tourist destination, an idea which was muted since September last year.  Samples of tartan clothes and wrapping paper have been available not only to the Trade Centre but even to the Tanzania Tourist Board in Dar es Salaam.

The designers have been advised to consider designing Tanzanian tartan carrier bags and gift bags for the next show in Washington DC.

Interests for the Tartan products have also been shown in Canada and Scandinavian countries.  This demonstrates the global potential of the tartan in promoting Tanzania in the most positive way.

Tartan is a form of woolen cloth associated with the Scottish culture.  Using dyed coloured yarn, the method of weaving tartan can produce an infinite variety of distinctive patterns which vary according to the colours and quantity of the threads used in each.  The colours used in the Tanzanian tartan combine those in the flags of Tanzania and Scotland.  This piece of woolen cloth can be made into a wide range of clothing items, clothing accessories and gifts.

A tartan design can also be reproduced in a number of other forms: printed cotton cloth, paper, plastic, etc.  Each of these forms can be used to produce a wide range of products: clothing, stationery, furnishings, tableware, gifts etc.

The purpose behind the Tartan is to:- create a range of products that can be manufactured and traded globally, promote tourism and Tanzania internationally.

According to Mr. McGill, these products will also be made available at tourist outlets throughout Tanzania, and in a few weeks time the “Tartans for Africa” website will go online and the Tanzanian Tartan will be featured along with some general information about Tanzania.  In addition, a shop will soon be opened in Edinburgh called “Treasures of Africa” which will showcase and sell Tanzanian Tartan goods along with some imported high quality Tanzanian products such as crafts, clothing, non perishable foodstuffs, etc.