EARTHRISE ...the Story in the Weave
SAVE OUR BLUE PLANET
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In the wake of the Artemis I mission, which marked a significant chapter in space exploration, the Earthrise Tartan emerged as a symbol of this new era, weaving together the legacy of past missions with the promise of future endeavours. Last year's successful 16oz weave has deepened our connection to the iconic ‘Earthrise’ image of 1968, a moment that shifted our collective perspective on the planet we call home.
This tartan is more than a fabric; it's a narrative of our planet's preciousness, fragility, and the urgent need for stewardship. Inspired by the breathtaking view of Earth from the moon's orbit, it embodies a message that has grown only more relevant with time.
As we celebrate the technological leaps that bring us closer to the stars, the Earthrise Tartan serves as a vivid reminder of Earth's singular beauty and the critical role we all play in its preservation.
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A Blue Jewel in the Blackness of the Void!
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#SaveOurBluePlanet
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The Earthrise tartan was originally created to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the Apollo 8 “Earthrise” photograph, taken from lunar orbit by astronaut William Anders on 24th December 1968. A photograph only made possible by a collaborative effort by all three Nasa crew members.
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The tartan pays tribute to this photograph which became the most iconic image of the 20th century, and was declared by wilderness photographer Gallen Rowell (in Life Magazine's 100 Photographs that Changed the World edition) as “the most influential environmental photograph ever taken”.
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Thus inspired by earthlight, the tartan prompts us to remember our common humanity. It reminds us of the humility we should all share with each other, that despite all the differences and contentions that exist among us, we are all from the same source...
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A universal family in the blackness of the Void, alive on this magnificent BLUE JEWEL we call EARTH, OUR ONLY HOME.
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Thus, the tartan not only serves as a beautiful tribute to our world ...it also becomes a stark reminder of just how truly precious, fragile and unique our planet really is.
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The geometry, yarn colours and numeracy woven throughout the tartan all have special significance …telling the story of this historic event in human exploration and discovery.
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Geometry and Colours:
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The tartan visibly portrays the image of the Earth rising above the Moon's horizon, the White, Blue, Black and Grey colours representing the Earth, Space and the Moon.
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APOLLO 8 MISSION LENGTH: 6 Days 3 Hours.
Launched 21 Dec 1968 (with splashdown on 27 Dec 1968) the 6 colours in the tartan represents the 6 days of the mission. The thread count itself (a total of 147 threads) then recognising the total mission length of 6 days and 3 hours …which equates to 147 hours.
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68 black threads in the sett represent the year 1968, the year the mission took place.
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The 3 black stripes pay tribute to the three Apollo 8 crew members:
Commander Frank Borman
Command Module Pilot James Lovell
Lunar Module Pilot William Anders
…with all three astronauts being recognised as playing a part in the collaborative effort which captured the Earthrise photograph, as the spacecraft orbited the moon.
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29 dark grey threads notes the age at which Anders was awarded his Master of Science Degree in Nuclear Engineering in 1962 age 29.
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A HALO OF TEN BLUE THREADS. 10 dark blue threads pays tribute to the reading aloud of Genesis 1 verses 1-10 …read by the three crew members as a special Christmas Eve message on 24th December 1968.
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APOLLO 8 - RECITAL OF GENESIS 1:1-10
On Christmas Eve 1968, Astronauts Frank Borman, James Lovell, and William Anders, transmitted this holiday message as they orbited the moon (approximately 240,000 miles from the earth):
Bill Anders
“We are now approaching lunar sunrise, and for all the people back on Earth, the crew of Apollo 8 has a message that we would like to send to you.
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.”
Jim Lovell
“And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.”
Frank Borman
“And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.
And from the crew of Apollo 8, we close, with good night, good luck, a Merry Christmas, and God bless all of you, all of you on the good earth.”
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E A R T H R I S E
…a tartan to represent our
common humanity.
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“Suddenly, from behind the rim of the Moon, in long, slow-motion moments of immense majesty, there emerges a sparkling blue and white jewel, a light, delicate sky-blue sphere laced with slowly swirling veils of white, rising gradually like a small pearl in a thick sea of black mystery. It takes more than a moment to fully realise this is Earth . . . home.”
Astronaut Edgar Mitchell
Apollo 14, 1971
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Place your order for the Earthrise Kilt - While stock lasts!
Earthrise & North Sea Oil - Heavyweight Kilts Still Available to Order!
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The official Registration of the tartan - EARTHRISE