Proud Flag
Flag Materials

PROUD FLAG
POB 1700
HARTSELLE AL 35640

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Page updated May 2, 2006.
 Nylon (the first manmade fiber) does not take dye well. So, nylon flags are not usually printed on a solid sheet of cloth. Nylon flags must be sewn together from pieces of cloth of the proper color (from hot-tanked cloth) and any small features are embroidered. This construction is very labor intensive, usually done in the U.S., and quite costly. The result is a thick, stiff flag that doesn't fly well and fades so badly that 6-9 months is considered the life of the flag. Lately, there are more imported nylon flags, but these, while much cheaper, are usually very thin for a nylon flag and some have sewn-on stars instead of embroidered stars.

Cotton bunting flags (or genuine silk) are more historically correct. But, this is about the only excuse to use one. Cotton flags started the custom of removing a flag at night and during inclement weather. It was not out of respect as much as to prevent the cotton flag from rotting when it remains wet from rain or dew. Genuine cotton flags are available, but are very expensive and require extra care. At the present, no one even offers silk flags commercially.

Polyester cloth is a great material for flags. It is totally impervious to moisture, strong enough for light cloth to fly well, and holds up very well to ultraviolet light (the destroyer of manmade fiber flags). A huge advantage is that it readily takes dye so that the flags are directly printed yet never fade.

The down side is that the market for cheap flags has set the standard for poly flags so low that common flags are only 50-60 denier (the "weight", or density of the cloth). Polyester is a good material, but the ones usually available are so thin that they barely hold together. At 3 months outside in the sun, they fall apart from UV damage. Even so, the cost compares well to a nylon flag that only lasts twice as long, but costs 4-10 times as much. Our "silky" polyester is a better, "hard" grade with twice the denier of the cheaper poly flags. Our "silky" poly flags usually last 9-12 months for just a few more dollars cost. These are, by far, your best value.

One supplier is now producing a heavier polyester flag, made out of a cloth similar to gym shorts. This "Diamond" poly is said to last 18 months! We are just beginning trials on this "Diamond" poly material.

By the way, the folds seen in some photos just shake out. Flags in the photos were just removed from packages a few seconds before. Besides, the folds show off the shine of the silky flags.