As discussions continue over a potential ‘scaled back’ Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, one much-loved feature from a previous tournament is already making an unexpected return.
An abandoned Commonwealth tartan is set for a surprise revival, having been transformed into luxury fashion accessories more than 50 years after it was first commissioned.
As the delayed decision on the host city for the 2026 Games is eagerly awaited—particularly with Glasgow being tipped as the most likely candidate—the treasured tartan from the 1970 Edinburgh Games is already making its way back into the limelight. Around 100 metres of the fabric were discovered as ‘deadstock’ in storage in Dumfries and have been repurposed into stylish, plastic-free tote bags and laptop cases by the team at Project Harmless.
https://projectharmless.com/
“I was looking for a tote bag for my mother and couldn’t believe how much plastic was used by a leading high-end designer. Not only that, despite claims about the rich British heritage of the brand, the tote bags I saw were clearly made overseas.
“I thought this just isn’t right, we can do better, so we got our team together and set about making our own,” said George Greer, co-founder of the sustainable fashion brand.
“That’s why we are proud to say our products are fully handmade in the Scottish borders by local crafts women. They are the most sustainable and environmentally friendly items of their kind; we even use Scottish Highland deer antlers for buttons rather than plastic.”
“We have breathed new life into this gorgeous, but sadly abandoned fabric, 54 years after the Edinburgh Commonwealth Games for which it was designed, avoiding the use of any plastic, into fantastic tote bags and laptop cases.”
George mentioned that the company, which has already sold more than 500,000 eco-friendly, dissolvable dog waste bags, is now on a mission to raise awareness about ‘widespread greenwashing and unethical practices in the fashion industry.’
He added: “We use materials including historical or leftover fabric, known as deadstock, rather than pure virgin fabric. To tackle plastic pollution, we don’t use polyester threads, stiffeners, synthetic fabrics, zips, or any plastic in our products, including buttons.
“We also have robust sourcing and manufacturing processes with everything designed and handmade in the Scottish borders, paying significantly above UK National Living Wage.”
“At a time when contractors for major fashion houses like Dior and Armani are under investigation for unethical practices, exploiting Chinese workers in Italy, while the renowned brands are being criticised for the massive disparity between production costs and retail prices, I think it’s more important than ever to provide consumers with sustainable alternatives and to challenge both purpose-washing and greenwashing in the industry.”
It comes as no surprise that many of the products making the news today contain plastics. George explained: “We have shown that with creativity, persistence, and skilled craftsmanship, fashion accessories can be produced entirely without plastic, right here in Scotland. We’d love for leading fashion brands to join us in our mission and for the media to continue calling out brands that make false ethical or sustainable claims.”
The concept for Project Harmless, hailed by co-founders George Greer and Ka Ho Wong as a pioneering fashion brand, arose after they discovered that the majority of fashion items produced globally contain plastic in some form.
George further explained: “Many fashion brands boast about using recycled plastic, but by blending synthetic fabrics—often made from plastic bottles—with cotton to create shirts, bags or other items, they are achieving the opposite of sustainability.
“To put it simply, this is not recycling. Once a fashion item incorporating a plastic bottle is thrown away, it can no longer be recycled, and will take hundreds of years to degrade, releasing harmful toxins. In fact, textiles account for approximately nine per cent of annual microplastic losses to the oceans. The use of polyester and nylon, which are forms of plastic, is still rampant.
“Another concerning trend in the fashion industry is the growing use of vegan leather. Unfortunately, most vegan leathers contain plastic, and in some cases are entirely made of plastic!
“Some designers market their products as sustainable and proudly showcase their British or European heritage, yet much of what they sell is mass-produced overseas using various plastics,” says George.
“The fashion industry today is unsustainable. Many fashion brands prioritise profit over purpose, harming the environment and contributing to numerous human rights violations in developing countries.”
To ensure that each tote bag and laptop case is entirely plastic-free, Project Harmless uses only natural threads and organic woven cotton labels. But the attention to detail goes further than that.
“I wanted to add a button, but almost all 25 billion buttons produced each year are made of plastic, which won’t decompose for hundreds of years. So, I decided to use locally handcrafted antler buttons. Deer antlers are the fastest-growing bone in the mammalian kingdom. They regrow annually and can be simply collected from the ground.
“Our team can only make 100 tote bags from the deadstock we’ve found, but we’ve already identified and sourced other historic fabrics.”
A limited-edition Project Harmless 1970 Commonwealth Tartan Tote is priced at £240, which Ka Ho Wong says compares favourably to luxury brands—many of which come with a higher price tag, contain plastic, and are mass-produced overseas.
The Project Harmless team aims to collaborate with other ethical fashion designers to bring plastic-free fashion into the mainstream. George elaborated:
“I want this tote bag to contribute to tackling human rights abuses in the industry, fighting plastic pollution, and boosting the UK economy.”
Environmental scientist Laura Young, who is partnering with Project Harmless to raise awareness and promote sustainable fashion choices, said: “People often don’t fully understand the impact of fashion on the environment, society, and economy. Project Harmless offers a solution-driven approach to fashion and can be a catalyst for real change.”
- Tote bags are priced at £240 and can be purchased online at https://projectharmless.com
- Laptop cases are priced at £70 and are also available on the Project Harmless website.
