U.S. Patent 7,552,696
The only patented flag reinforcement in the country.
Many reinforcement methods have been tried. This is the one that earned a patent, because it does what it's meant to: keep your flag on the pole longer.
*As reported by our customers. Independent testing has not yet been performed.
Where flags fail, and how we stop it
Wind whips the fly end of a flag thousands of times a day. The corners fray first, then the hem, then the stripes start pulling apart at the seams. Our process reinforces all three.
Corner patches
Triangular patches are sewn onto both fly corners, cut from material that matches the stripe colors. Each patch reaches into the third stripe from the edge, spreading the strain across more of the flag.
Twill-tape fly hem
A solid strip of twill tape runs the entire length of the fly hem, including under the edges of the corner patches. It gives the edge that takes the most punishment a stronger backbone.
Lock-stitch, never chain-stitch
Many mass-produced flags are chain-stitched because it's faster and cheaper, but once one stitch breaks, the seam can unravel. Our flags are lock-stitched throughout, with an extra row of lock-stitch up part of each stripe to keep stripes from pulling apart.
Born from years of flag repairs in Omaha
In the early 2000s, a local seamstress who repaired flags for Omaha businesses kept seeing the same damage in the same places. She developed a way to reinforce those points before the flag ever went up, and it earned a U.S. patent.
The Durable Flags Company acquired the patent and builds reinforced American flags 3'×5' and larger this way.
Common questions
Which flags are reinforced?
Our reinforced American flags, 3'×5' and larger. State, country and other flags can be reinforced with a modified version of the process; just ask.
Do you sell non-reinforced flags?
Yes. Reinforced flags are our specialty and what we recommend, but American flags are also available in standard construction when that's what you need. Choose Reinforced or Standard on the product page.
Can you reinforce a flag I already own?
We can on request, but we usually don't recommend it for flags we didn't make. Many other flags are chain-stitched, so adding reinforcement rarely pays off for the cost. Replacing it with a reinforced flag is usually the better value. We do repair large-format flags 8'×12' and up, in our Omaha shop or by mail.
How long will my flag last?
It depends on wind, weather and how often it flies. Customers tell us our flags fly 60–100% longer than other name brands, and two to three times longer than big-box flags.