Faded military tartans?

[OC Richard]

I've posted this image before, the best photo I've come across showing fading changing the colours on an old military kilt.



I recently came across this vintage Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders kilt which seems to show fading (Ebay).

The black of the tartan is brown or drab.

However the seller happily posted photos of the inside of the kilt, which seems to show the same colours as the outside.

The only possibilities that come to mind are that the tartan was originally woven with those colours, or that washing (rather than sunlight) has caused the fading.

[figheadair]

Without knowing whether it's been wash (which in itself should not fade a kilt), and noting the apparent shade difference between the inside (slightly darker) and outside, I wonder if the black dye has undergone some sort of uniform degradation causing the fading?

This change from black to brown/khaki is fairly common on military kilts of this period which suggests some sort of dye breakdown rather than just fading.

[Patty Logan]

Even knowing that the kilt is faded, it looks like it could be a tartan on it own to which I like better then the standard black watch!

If I’m not mistaken, I think I’ve seen something like it on the tartan register…

Is this it: https://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/tartanDetails?ref=353

[figheadair]

Even knowing that the kilt is faded, it looks like it could be a tartan on it own to which I like better then the standard black watch!

If I’m not mistaken, I think I’ve seen something like it on the tartan register…

Is this it: https://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/tartanDetails?ref=353

The inspirtion for this design was, in part, a WWI Tyneside Scottish Kilt.

[OC Richard]

I wonder if it was a matter of fast black dyes being unavailable due to wartime conditions, and the weavers having to make do with a lower-quality black dye.

It's interesting that this look has been recreated, I do like the look of that old Argyll kilt.