Membership Benefits

All Members

Attendance and voting rights at AGM
Membership Card and Lapel Badge
Membership Certificate download
STA Coat of Arms for wallpaper/stationery use
Unlimited enquires by e-mail, phone or fax
Access to Members Only section of the web site
High resolution tartan images in Tartan Ferret
Access to Tartan Herald and all back numbers
STA tartan & STA branded product purchases
Free downloading/printing of archived articles
Access in person to our extensive library of over 500 rare and contemporary books
Access to all Members Only tartan thread counts
Mediation services (problems with a retailer/vendor?) Let us help!
Discounted Tartan Design service (20% off current fees)

Business members

All the above PLUS . . . .

Free industry representation at the highest levels
Access to advertising in the Tartan Herald
Bulk purchase of our popular Kilt Passports
Manufacturers - access to our acclaimed Provenance Ticketing
Manufacturers - representation with overseas buying groups
Tartan Ferret licensing
Free display advert in our 'Where Can I Buy' service to the public
Availability of upgraded 'Where Can I Buy' entries
Access to our powerful 'Where Can I Source' database to find tartans & products
Access to planned e-learning retail programme
Exposure to our website's 1,000+ visitors PER DAY from over 100 countries

Read more in Promoting your Business.

The Authority reserves the right to alter Membership Benefits as and when necessary.

Code of Conduct

The vast majority of Business Members of the Scottish Tartans Authority undoubtedly operate in an entirely ethical manner. However, there may be some existing members and potential members who might welcome clarification of the Authority's aims and objectives in this area.

Scotland has long been famed for its high quality tartan and Highland dress products and the Authority's objective is to maintain and promote that traditional image. Whilst that involves the positive promotion of the genuine Scottish product, the Authority appreciates that world markets are changing and imported tartans and products often fill a price-related customer need that cannot always be met by the output from Scottish weavers and manufacturers.

The Authority's objective therefore is to ensure that all such products are clearly marked so that potential purchasers - personal shoppers or online buyers - are fully aware of the provenance of the product they are considering.

This means that the Authority will not accept for membership any business operators who:

a. Incorrectly infer by their labelling, marketing editorial or personal comments that imported products being offered are of Scottish origin.

b. Infer by their naming that tartans have been accepted by authorised representatives of organisations or geographical areas when no corroboratory documentation can be provided.

c. Produce and use tickets or labelling of any kind that closely resemble those of established manufacturers and are - in the opinion of the Authority - intended to mislead potential purchasers.

d. Weave or have woven near-clones of tartans owned by other companies with the intent of misleading potential purchasers.

e. Operate in a fashion to the detriment of customer satisfaction.

f. Operate in any way which brings the established tartan industry or the Scottish Tartans Authority into disrepute.

The Scottish Tartans Authority reserves the right to withdraw membership from any company which it considers to have persistently or repeatedly operated in a manner covered by sub-paras a ~ f above. No refunds of unused membership payments will be considered for withdrawn memberships.

The Scottish Tartans Authority is the sole arbiter in these matters.