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Flag Materials 101
We don't import any of our flags like other some companies on the internet do. Our flags are made right here in America!!
We have seen many different misleading ads for flags over the internet, and we realize that it is harder to purchase a flag online because you can't touch it and feel the differences between the different types of materials. So we created this section to try and help you see the differences in the materials used, so that you can make an informed decision on which flag is right for your needs. You probably read on our home page about us always trying to meet our customers needs the best we can, we do that by being very honest and straight forward on what our customers can expect from the flag they are purchasing.
We have seen many companies that offer various types of flags trying to sway the sales pitch in their favor by making it sound like their "lightweight" flags are better because they fly in a light breeze. On the other hand, we have seen different companies advertise how their flags are heavier which cause them to last longer. Now while both of these statements are somewhat true, they are very misleading to the general customers that don't know the details on choosing a flag that is right for their individual needs.
Ultimately, the most important thing to understand when purchasing a flag is that flags that are flown outdoors experience a very harsh living condition. Some people seem to expect to buy one flag and that it should last them for years. But when you consider that flags constantly endure volatile conditions, it is easier to understand why they don't last for years when flown outdoors 24 hours a day 7 days a week. The biggest enemy to flags besides the wind conditions that they face is the sun. The sun causes the flag fabric to dry out and become brittle to the point where at the end of a flags life many are able to rip just like a sheet of paper.
Our Dura-Nyl Flags are a very popular choice for customers that fly their flags outdoors 24 hours a day and that material performs very well outdoors. Our Mega-Poly flags are a heavy material that are best suited in areas that experience a constant wind, such as a coastal area.
Econo-Poly Brand
These flags are a very lightweight flag that are constructed out of a single layer of a polyester blended flag material. They are screen printed and sewn around the edges. This is an economical flag, its mainly for the budget minded consumer that doesn't fly their flag on a vertical flagpole above 15' high. These flags can be good for wall mounted flagpoles (the type that mount at a 45 degree angle on a side of your house), because they are nice and lightweight so a slight breeze is all they need to fly, also it is unusual for high winds to be an issue with the wall mounted flagpole kits.
Dura-Nyl Brand
(Recommended for those that leave their flag up 24 hours a day)
Our Dura-Nyl American Flags feature Embroidered Stars and Sewn Stripes, with our Dura-Nyl brand we use a stronger Dupont Colorfast Nylon when we construct these flags as well as a much heavier thread than our competitors to help make sure these flags outlast our competition. This material is so durable that we currently have customers using Dura-Nyl Nylon flags on their 100' and 120' Flagpoles, the largest Nylon flag that we currently produce is a custom made 50x95' American Flag. The materials that we use to make our flags greatly surpasses our competition. On our 12x18', 15x25', 20x30' and 20x38' American Flags we offer you the choice of a Printed star field (Dura-Nyl PSF) or an appliquéd star field (Dura-Nyl SSF). This is just another cost saving option we offer to make sure you get the flag you want and save as much as you can. When the flag is flying you will notice that the only difference is that the SSF flags will appear to have darker stars, because the sun gets trapped with the extra layers of material used to sew the stars on. The PSF star field will appear to have brighter/whiter stars simply because the sunlight is able to shine through easier since it is constructed with a single layer of material. Although, most people would not even be able to pick out the difference between the two star fields once the flag is flying.
Some of our Dura-Nyl Flags are available with a Pole Sleeve and Fringe instead of the standard canvas header with grommets. This style is mainly used in parade of indoor flagpole mountings.
Mega-Poly Brand (2-Ply Polyester)
These flags are constructed using a woven 2-Ply Polyester material which is heavier and more durable than any other material used to make flags. Our Mega-Poly American Flags are fully sewn (Embroidered Stars and Sewn Stripes) and made with an extra strength thread to help withstand higher winds. Since this material is heavier it is suitable for areas that are more likely to see high winds like coastal areas and roof tops.
*On all of our Dura-Nyl SSF American 12ftx18ft and larger flags, the stars are Appliquéd in order to extend the life of the material under the conditions that flags of these sizes endure.
Here are some scenarios to help classify which flag may be best for you:
- If you are a student and want to spice up a report that your are going to be presenting, our recommendation would be an Econo-Poly flag. Mainly because it's inexpensive and lightweight.
- If your a homeowner that has a wall mounted flagpole that hangs at a 45 degree angle off the house. We would recommend our Dura-Nyl Flags due to their material they will last a long time. In this case you could also use our Econo-Poly Flags since since the wind doesn't really affect most flagpoles mounted like this. We would not recommend our Mega-Poly Flags for a mounted position like this, because they would be overkill in a situation like this and due to their extra weight they really wouldn't sway much in the slight breeze that flagpoles mounted in this manner would incur.
- If your a home owner or business owner with a flagpole in front of your home or business ranging from 15' to 150' (and higher) we would recommend our Dura-Nyl Flags. With this situation you could also step up the Mega-Poly Flags if you wanted to have a flag capable of withstanding higher than normal wind-loads.
- If you are in an area that experiences a constant or unusually high wind gust (like a coastal area) you would benefit from using the Mega-Poly Flags
Hopefully, this has helped you to decide which type of flag is best for your application, if not please feel free to contact us and we will be happy to listen to your individual situation and get you the best flag(s) for your needs. And of course, if you have any questions at all, please contact us.
Cotton Flags
In some of our historical flags we offer a cotton flag material as an option. Our cotton material is made from 100% cotton bunting, has rich and vibrant colors and provides a traditional texture and appearance. However, if you plan to fly your historical flag outdoors we recommend using our Dura-Nyl material.
