About
I wore a kilt to a climate protest—just for the hell of it—and it changed my life. A kilted Scotsman stopped me in my tracks and said, “Aye, that’s what this movement needs—its own clan tartan!” Introducing himself as Loftus McLeod of Skye, he invited me for a pint and shared his remarkable story.

Once upon a time—Spring of 1779, to be exact—Loftus was a humble crofter and Highland bathing enthusiast. His peaceful life was shattered by an eviction notice—one of countless issued during the infamous Highland Clearances to make way for the monoculture of sheep farming.
Refusing to take the King’s shilling and fight in some far-flung war, he founded the Liberation Kilt Company to stand against injustice at home, rallying hundreds of kindred spirits to his cause. Though eventually captured and exiled to the Colonies, Loftus escaped into hiding—only to re-emerge the 21st Century.
[Read the full story of Liberation Kilt Company's founding]
Before our serendipitous meeting at the climate protest, I dismissed immortality as pure fantasy—the stuff of books and films. Turns out, Great Granny was right: There be immortals among us.
Newly inspired by Loftus McLeod, a group of us were arrested on Capitol Hill for barricading a congressman’s office in protest of his pro-coal policies. The die was cast!
A Seed is Planted
Sitting in a DC jail, I realized that Loftus was on to something. Our fractured movement might benefit from a unifying symbol of sorts—its own clan tartan.
And so together, Loftus and I revived the Liberation Kilt Company and set about designing the ‘Keeling’ tartan in honour of Dr. Charles Keeling, the climate scientist behind the iconic Keeling Curve. This tartan made its debut at COP26. It was worn by the entire World Wildlife Fund delegation, including Eliud Kipchoge, the world champion marathon runner. Greta Thunberg is proud owner of a Keeling-clad WWF panda—one of hundreds scattered across the globe. It's said she keeps it close, even as she sleeps.
The Tartan Collection
Inspired by the Keeling tartan’s success, we expanded our tartan collection.
Keeling Tartan: Symbolises a wholesale shift in the energy basis of civilization, away from fossil fuels.
Havel Tartan: A symbol of solidarity with persecuted writers and artists around the world.
Yamaguchi Tartan: Transforms the nuclear hazard sign into a symbol of a nuclear-free future.
Blueheart Tartan: A symbol of solidarity with the victims of human trafficking and modern slavery.
Liberty Square Tartan: A striking symbol of crony capitalism and disempowerment.
Tahrir Tartan: Symbolizes the enduring fight for democracy against authoritarianism.
Agua Tartan: Symbolizes the fight for water as a source of life and a cornerstone of a sustainable future.
More designs are in the works.
The Rebel Tartan Project
Founded in 2015, the Rebel Tartan Project empowers art and fashion students to confront global issues with radical creativity.
Under the leadership of Juliana Sissons and with support from Arts Thread, UN House Scotland, and other partners, the Rebel Tartan Project is fast becoming a global phenomenon. Browse the extraordinary portfolios of students from the UK, Japan, China, and India.
What Drives Us
Fashion feeds what Iris Murdoch called "the fat relentless ego." The way we see it, fashion takes itself far too seriously, yet pays lip service to the issues that matter.
We're out to break this cycle by shifting the focus outward, recasting fashion as a catalyst for social change. Take, for example, our recent collaboration with the Vaclav Havel Center, which commissioned us to weave 12 Havel tartan scarves for the 2024 Disturbing the Peace Award. These scarves were crafted to honor individuals whose courage knows no borders, including Indian writer Arundhati Roy, jailed Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi, and renowned songwriter and human rights advocate Peter Gabriel.
Online Store Launch
With fifteen years of art and activism behind us, we’re thrilled to launch our online store with three debut collections—Ben Nevis, Flower Power and Loftus McLeod.
The bold and barmy Ben Nevis Collection is definitive proof that wearing a kilt truly gives you superpowers! Whether scaling peaks or dancing the fling, the indomitable Ben Nevis reminds us to live life on our own crazy terms—and stick it to the conformists!
Inspired by the thistle, an ancient symbol of resilience, the Flower Power Collection is your quiet declaration of strength in these dark and uncertain times. Thistles pair with the Latin inscription, Floreas si supersis. But what looks like botanical jargon actually contains a hidden meaning: ‘If you can survive, you can thrive.’
The Loftus McLeod Collection brings the spirit of adventure to your table with its captivating range of jigsaw puzzles. At its heart lies Vintage McLeod, a series of atmospheric scenes from the 18th century, tracing the life and times of Loftus McLeod and the Liberation Kilt Company's founding. Later this spring, Modern McLeod takes centre stage, chronicling his fireside chats with indigenous tribes on a recent world tour, from Mongolian nomads to the reclusive Mentawai of Indonesia!
Slated for an early 2026 launch, our Tartan Collection is the crowning jewel of our entire product range, and well worth the wait! Meanwhile, you can learn all about the tartans and their rich symbolism here.
Welcome to the Kilties Club!
Your first purchase automatically enrols you in the Kilties Club. You’ll receive a free personalised membership certificate, signed by Loftus McLeod himself!
Doing Things Right
Patagonia serves as our role model, and we’ve taken great care to do things properly—treating people and the planet with dignity and respect. This commitment is reflected in our choice of organic, recycled, and fair trade materials. It also extends to shipping, where we offset emissions by donating a portion of each sale to carbon removal start-ups and reinvesting profits into the Rebel Tartan Project, as well as partner charities.
Destination Retail
Looking ahead, we envision a physical space where fashion meets activism—a vibrant hub for workshops, performances, bespoke tailoring, single malts, and more. It's also where people can browse our collections. Stay tuned as this vision takes shape!
Giles & Loftus, Co-Founders
Liberation Kilt Company