that the colors of the ancient clan Tartans were muted and soft because they were developed from dyes made from various native plants?

 that the Scottish Highlanders of old used no imported substances for the dyes they needed to create their beautiful tartan designs; only native plants and natural fluids which were available to them? Every "guidwife" was expected to produce from wood, twigs, bark, roots and flowers the decoctions for:

Black-Oak Bark and Acorns
Brown-Dulse
Blue-Elder (with alum)
Blue (pale) -Elder and Broom (with Alum)
Green-Iris Leaf
Green (bright) -Common Broom
Green (dark) -Heather (before flowering)
Grey--Water Flag Root
Magenta-Dandelion
Orange-Ragweed
Orange (dark) -Bramble
Saffron-Saffron flowers
Fawn-Birch Bark
Pink (pale) -Willow Bark
Violet-Watercress
Yellow-Elm
Yellow (bright) Rhubarb
Scarlet-Limestone Lichen
Red-Fir-Club Moss 4
Red (dark)-Rock Lichen
Red (bright) -Rue-root
Crimson (bright) -White Corcan Lichen (mixed with urine)
Crimson (dark) -Dark lichen
Purple-Blueberry (with alum)

 that the old Highlanders claimed that those who wore hose dyed with a decoction of lichen, never suffered from blistered or inflamed feet, no matter bow far or how rough the path?

 that although the word "plaid," (pronounced "piad" as in "sad")is commonly used elsewhere to describe the lines, checks and squares of Scottish-Clan-patterned cloth, the correct term in Scotland is "tartan"? In Scotland the word "plaid" (pronounced "plaid" as in "laid") is actually the shawl-like garment worn over the shoulder by both men and women as a part of authentic Scottish native dress.