Find your Burnett tartan favourites here: complete outfits, single kilts, fabric lengths and finishing accessories, all woven in the Burnett sett and built to order.
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Burnett Kilts, Jackets & Full Outfits
Our Burnett kilts are made to your exact size in 5-yard and 8-yard heavyweight cloth. Build a complete outfit with a Prince Charlie or tweed jacket, sporran and accessories.
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Buy Burnett Tartan Cloth by the Yard
Need cloth rather than a finished item? Burnett tartan fabric is sold by the metre for kilts, sashes, furnishings and craft work, with samples available on request.
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Colourway Options for Burnett Tartan
The Burnett tartan comes in several colourways. Modern is deep and strong, Ancient is lighter and softer, Weathered looks muted and aged, and Dress is brighter and more formal. Choose yours on each product page.
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Ordering, Sizing & Shipping
Every Burnett item is made to order and shipped worldwide, with custom sizing and bulk pricing for clan gatherings, weddings and pipe bands. Contact us for help before you order.
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Burnett Sashes, Scarves & Small Goods
From ties and bow ties to sashes, shawls and scarves, Burnett tartan accessories add the finishing touch to any outfit or make a thoughtful present.
Clan Motto
Virescit Vulnere Virtus (Courage Flourishes at a Wound)
Heritage & Identity
Who Wears Burnett Tartan Tartan?
Worn by Burnett descendants worldwide, sept families including Burnet and Burnette bearers, Highland regiment veterans, and Scottish heritage enthusiasts across America, Canada, and Britain.
Associated Names
Burnet
Burnette
Burnard
Bernat
Bernet
Burnard
MacBurnie
MacBurney
Burnside
de Burnard
Burnett of Leys
Burnett of Barns
Burnett of Kemnay
Burnett of Monboddo
Military Heritage
Associated Regiments
Burnett warriors distinguished themselves in elite Highland regiments, colonial frontier forces, and British Army units, particularly excelling in North American campaigns and Indian military service.
Gordon Highlanders (Scotland)
Royal Scots Fusiliers (Scotland)
Black Watch (Scotland)
Nova Scotia Highlanders (Canada)
King's Royal Rifle Corps (Britain)
78th Highlanders (Scotland)
Shop Burnett Tartan Products
Discover authentic Burnett clan products including traditional kilts, Highland dress accessories, clan badges, tartan scarves, ceremonial dirks, and heritage items for descendants across North America.
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Burnett 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 Burnett Tartan Story
Four centuries of history woven into every thread
The Burnett clan origins trace to Anglo-Norman settlers who arrived in Scotland during David I's reign in the 12th century. Alexander Burnard received the Barony of Leys in Aberdeenshire around 1323 from Robert the Bruce, establishing the clan's stronghold at Crathes Castle. The family served as royal foresters and huntsmen in the Forest of Drum, wielding considerable influence in northeastern Scotland. Early Burnetts demonstrated unwavering loyalty to Scottish independence, with successive generations defending their Deeside territories against English incursions while building their reputation as fierce Highland warriors and trusted royal servants throughout medieval Scotland's turbulent centuries.
During the 15th and 16th centuries, the Burnetts of Leys consolidated their power through strategic alliances and royal service. Sir Thomas Burnett built the magnificent Crathes Castle, completed in 1596, which became the clan's ancestral seat and symbol of their growing influence. The family received the Horn of Leys from Robert the Bruce, a ceremonial hunting horn symbolizing their hereditary role as royal foresters. Burnett lairds served as sheriffs and justices, while cadet branches established themselves throughout Aberdeenshire and beyond. The clan weathered the religious upheavals of the Reformation while maintaining their Protestant faith and Highland traditions, producing scholars, soldiers, and statesmen who shaped Scotland's cultural renaissance.
Where does the name Burnett Tartan come from?
Burnett derives from the Anglo-Norman 'Burnard' meaning 'brown' or 'burnt,' referring to dark complexion or hair. The name arrived in Scotland during the 12th century when the Burnards received lands from David I. They established themselves in Aberdeenshire, where 'Burnett' evolved as the Scottish form. The clan's motto 'Virescit Vulnere Virtus' reflects their resilience, while their ancient seat at Crathes Castle symbolizes enduring Highland nobility and royal service.
The 17th and 18th centuries marked significant expansion for the Burnett clan beyond their Aberdeenshire strongholds. During the Jacobite uprisings, Burnetts largely supported the Hanoverian cause, with clan members serving in government forces and maintaining their estates. Sir Thomas Burnett of Leys became a noted antiquarian and scholar, while other family members distinguished themselves in military service across the expanding British Empire. Burnett emigrants began settling in North America, establishing communities in Virginia, the Carolinas, and later in Nova Scotia and Ontario. The clan produced successful merchants, planters, and military officers who helped build the American colonies while maintaining connections to their Scottish heritage and Crathes Castle.
Throughout the 19th century, Burnetts embraced new opportunities while preserving their ancient heritage. Clan members served as officers in Highland regiments during the Napoleonic Wars and later conflicts across the British Empire. The family adapted to Highland agricultural improvements and the Industrial Revolution, with some branches becoming successful merchants and industrialists in Scotland's growing cities. Burnett emigrants continued flowing to North America, Australia, and New Zealand, establishing successful farming and business enterprises. The clan maintained Crathes Castle as their ancestral seat while branches spread globally, with notable achievements in military service, academia, and business. The Burnett name became associated with enterprise, scholarship, and faithful service to both Scotland and their adopted countries.
The Burnett tartan embodies centuries of Deeside heritage, from ancient Crathes Castle guardians to global military distinction, woven in patterns honoring Scotland's nobility.
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Craftsmanship defined by tradition, designed for the modern era.
