Purdue Tartan Design Competition

During the spring 2012 semester, Purdue's Department of Consumer Sciences and Retailing (CSR) invited CSR students to participate in a competition to design an innovative and symbolic tartan inspired by the history and official colors of Purdue University. Working in conjunction with Collegiate Tartan Apparel, the winning Tartan would be used to develop and market Purdue-branded merchandise.

A total of 11 entries were submitted and then reviewed by a committee comprised of Purdue faculty, staff and alumni. Designs were judged for originality, aesthetics, and representation and interpretation of Purdue's history and colors. Three tartans were chosen to compete in an online competition taking place July 9 through August 9, 2012. The winning designer will receive $500. The first runner-up will receive $300 and the second runner-up will receive $200. The $1000 prize money is a donation from CSR alumna, Jan Alberts.

The winning tartan will be verified and reviewed for its originality by the Scottish Register of Tartans in Edinburgh, Scotland, a division of the Scottish Government, and then registered as the official tartan of Purdue. It will be licensed and trademarked through Purdue University and Purdue will own the tartan design.

Sales of Purdue Tartan merchandise will support Purdue University (through licensing royalties) as well as scholarship programs for undergraduate students in the Department of Consumer Sciences and Retailing.