New tartans are making their appearance almost continuously. There's a lot of truth in the statement that the Victorians were the "inventers" of the sma' kilt, AND many of the tartans which go with it. Tartan existed in the Scottish highlands [and in many another remote area] ever since the art of cloth weaving came into being. The "clan tartan" however was a phenomenon which had very vague roots, at best. Tartan as a pattern was simply the coincidental outcome of the slow weaving process , and the seasonal availability of vegetable dyes in certain areas. This resulted in the warp and weft producing a chequered pattern which we describe as "tartan". In the past times, when the [detestable] clan sytem was in place, fellow clansmen were more likely to be recognised by what they wore on their bonnets [white cockade, red hackle, grouse feather etc..] And just for the record, I own a Gordon regimental kilt which I first wore fifty-six years ago---and it still gets an occasional airing!