Behind the Design: Scotch Plaid Flannel

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[00:00:00.04] What's our secret to making the best flannel for over a century? Use the best flannel.

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[00:00:05.07] Folded flannel shirts appear in different colors. Text: L.L. Bean, Behind the Design: Scotch Plaid Flannel

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[00:00:08.48] Hi, I'm Monica, I'm a product developer here at L.L. Bean. Welcome to our workroom. We use these spaces with designers, merchandisers, and our product development team to create the new products that you see every year. I find it immensely rewarding to work for a company with such rich heritage as L.L. Bean. Our scotch plaid shirt is almost 90 years old. It started in 1936, and

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[00:00:33.41] Monica holds up the 1936 L.L. Bean Fall Catalog with a cover that shows a dog holding a pheasant in its mouth.

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[00:00:33.84] here is our original scotch plaid shirt.

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[00:00:37.05] She shows a catalog page with the shirt circled at top left.

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[00:00:37.16] And our women's scotch plaid shirt was first introduced in 1974, and

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[00:00:41.97] She shows the catalog page from 1974

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[00:00:42.00] it came in two colors, royal Stewart and dress Campbell, which we still run today.

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[00:00:47.51] A sheet of scotch plaid fabric rolls over a loom. Text: Vilarinho Portugal

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[00:00:48.60] So what makes our flannel special is that it's created at a very small mill in Portugal. It is a long staple cotton, which help to increase the stability of the fabric and the durability, so the item gets better with age. There are skilled craftsmen called knappers at the mill who brush it eight times on each side, which ensures the softness of the garment and the hand. I might be biased, but I don't think you'll find this quality flannel anywhere else.

[00:01:15.42] One

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[00:01:15.57] A stack of folded shirts shows color combinations.

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[00:01:15.66] of the most distinctive features of our scotch plaid shirts are the authentic tartans. And naturally, we have an expert for that.

[00:01:23.38] Hi,

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[00:01:23.38] A woman waves from a work table. Text: Product Designer & Tartan Expert

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[00:01:23.76] I'm Lauren, I'm a product designer and I've been doing this for the past 16 years. I often get asked the question, what is a tartan? And a tartan is a type of plaid. Tartans are most often associated with Scotland because each tartan pattern represents a different family or clan in Scotland. When

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[00:01:42.16] Lauren holds a large leather bound book that has a frayed binding. Title: Authentic Tartans Made in Scotland.

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[00:01:42.26] we start a new season and we're looking for new tartans, often I start with this book.

[00:01:47.62] Inside is just a treasure trove of swatches of beautiful tartans. When I'm selecting tartans to run in our shirt, I want to be respectful to the family or clan that the tartans originated from paying special attention to the colors I select the details of the pattern and keeping the name intact.

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[00:02:07.66] She points to a name above a swatch. Text: MacRae of Conchra

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[00:02:08.08] We are fortunate enough at L.L. Bean to have our own in-house lab and testing facility, where we can run our garments and materials through rigorous testing to ensure quality and endurance. One

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[00:02:20.42] Text: Abrasion Testing, Tear Testing, Button Testing

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[00:02:20.52] of those tests is our button test, and we drop a weight on the button repeatedly to make sure it will withstand everyday wear and tear.

[00:02:27.32] We want to ensure that the products we're making are the best out there.

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[00:02:31.51] A person uses a dropper to add dye to a jar.

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[00:02:31.60] Our scotch plaid flannel is a yarn dyed flannel. Each yarn color that you see is dyed individually and then woven together. That means that you get the same pattern on the inside as well as the outside, and that means that this color will wear down the same over time, ensuring vibrant and beautiful color.

[00:02:50.90] Other brands print plaids on top of fabric, but we don't do that at L.L. Bean. To me, a yarn dyed plaid indicates true quality.

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[00:03:01.16] Shows the L.L. Bean Label stitched onto a scotch plaid flannel shirt. Text: Since 1912, Quality Guaranteed

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[00:03:01.30] Here at L.L. Bean we care about our details, and we have matched the tartan all the way through the garment on the placket, the neckline, and the pocket to make sure that you have a beautiful look head on. Some new innovation we've added to the line has included our quilted version for him in a snap front shirt, as well as a cropped style in the new women's boyfriend fit.

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[00:03:23.67] Flannel shirts appear that have a red, black and gold design.

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[00:03:23.78] So the Wallace tartan is actually an old favorite that we ran in the 90s. I loved the pattern, and I wanted to bring it back. For fall 2025. It reminds me of that traditional lumberjack style Buffalo check, but it also has just that shot of gold that runs through it that just makes it more of a special pattern.

[00:03:41.86] Our scotch plaid fabric spans many categories here at L.L. Bean from men's, women's, to kids.

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[00:03:48.06] Monica holds up a kid-sized Wallace tartan shirt.

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[00:03:48.46] So now even our tiny tartan lover can have a piece of their own. We're so confident in the quality of our fabric that we have included a hand-me-down trail label so future generations can enjoy it. Personally

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[00:03:59.76] A stitched label shows winding dotted lines on a trail, for writing different names.

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[00:04:00.72] we did a photo shoot when I was little wearing scotch plaid pajamas. It

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[00:04:06.94] Monica beams in a family photo.

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[00:04:06.96] was one of our most loved Christmas cards. And my brother was married several years ago. And as a brand new family, we all picked out our favorite plaids, and then recreated the photo for his wedding shoot.

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[00:04:20.11] The family poses on a sofa wearing plaid robes and pajamas.

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[00:04:20.88] I know that we have the best flannel shirts, and we have over 17,000 5 star reviews that think so too.

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[00:04:28.50] Monica reads a 5-star review

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[00:04:28.64] This shirt is quite possibly the best flannel shirt made from the finest fabric that I've ever bought in my lifetime. I've purchased numerous flannel shirts through the years, and this one is at the top of the list, without doubt, I can agree. If you'd like to learn more about the products we make here at L.L. Bean like and subscribe for more behind the design videos.

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[00:04:47.26] We hover over the front of a multicolored scotch plaid flannel shirt. Then multiple designs appear. Text: For more product stories and outdoor inspiration, visit llbean.com/explore