Jacob Longan - NewsPress

Challenged to come up with an idea combining creativity and business, the Oklahoma State University department of design, housing and merchandising proposed what it is calling a “win-win.”

The department is having a competition to design the school’s official tartan, “a woven plaid fabric of various colors” historically used “to signify the members of various Scottish clans,” according to the entry packet.

“We are mainly interested in this project for its educational merits, a design competition they didn’t previously have,” said Dr. Paulette Hebert, DHM professor. “It provides educational outlets, a way to give information and publicity about our department.”

Tartan designs are being submitted by OSU students who have completed the school’s textiles class. The deadline for entry is Monday.

On Oct. 3, a group of 11 will select the four finalists based on originality and creativity, visual appeal, ease of use for a variety of licensed products and conveyance of OSU spirit.

Each of the finalists will receive a $50 gift certificate to the Student Union bookstore.

Alumni will be able to vote on the four finalists from Oct. 18 to Nov. 24 online at ches.okstate.edu/dhm/tartan. The top vote-getter will be named the winner Dec. 1.

The winner will get an additional $100.

Hebert said the prize money is secondary.

“The honor and having the legacy of being the student whose design was selected for the OSU tartan — it would be an outstanding opportunity and achievement for a student,” she said.

Brenton Wimmer, a graduate student from Sand Springs, agreed.

“This is an excellent opportunity to showcase my creativity and I think it gives a lot of the students a way of doing that and really showing what they can do,” Wimmer said. “There aren’t very many opportunities like this that come along where you can create something and have it showcased like this to the public. It’s a very good opportunity and I think it’s important that a lot of the students compete and partake in it.”

The winning design “will be a symbol of the OSU clan,” said Dr. Lynn Richards, DHM professor.

It will go to Pendleton Woolen Mills to be made into a muffler and stadium blanket likely to be available next fall. Ten percent of the sales will go to OSU.

Judy Barnard, director of trademarks for OSU, said the university normally gets 8 percent on licensed sales, but they will take an extra 2 percent to give to Human Environmental Sciences in this case.

The normal 8 percent goes into a fund that is split between scholarships and the athletic department.

She said an estimate for the retail price for the two items are $48 for the muffler — which is what Oregon State charges for its tartan muffler — and between $100 and $120 for the stadium blanket.

There may be other licensed products made in the future, including furniture, drapery fabric, bedspreads, ties and mugs.

“It’s a win-win for the students, faculty and alumni,” Hebert said. “They will be able to show their allegiance in a new way. What’s cool about it is that it’s something that a faculty member has led our students to produce.”