By Regina Thomas on Monday, 29 November, 2021 at 04:37 PM

Robert Guibal, the owner of James Robertson Kiltmaker, believes the Island of Barbados Tartan can tie the history of Scotland and Barbados together.

The Island of Barbados Tartan is a patterned cloth with criss-crossed, horizontal, and vertical bands made of wool yarn and dye to represent the national flag’s colours.

At the Scottish Trade Mission Delegation at Hilton Barbados, Guibal stood in front of a display with various garments and items such as kilts, keychains, and bags made of the “vibrant” cloth.

He revealed that Barbados is the only country in the Caribbean with a registered tartan in Scotland. He said, “It is a fantastic achievement.”

Guibal gave credit to Shane Thomas, the Barbadian who traveled to his store in Glasgow in 2019 and proposed the idea. Since then, they worked alongside each other to perfect the Scots plaid.

He said this material has the potential to move the “two small nations separated by a big sea” closer together as Barbados is due to become a republic on the same day that Scotland celebrates St. Andrew’s Day (November 30, 2021).

He wants Barbadians to “take hold of it [the tartan] and run with it” like Barbadians have in the United Kingdom.