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Choosing The Right Flag - A Buyers Guide

Not all flags are created equal!

When considering a flag purchase, keep the following in mind:

Choice of Fabric: Although nylon is great for most uses, our extensive line of American flags are available in polyester and cotton.

Quality of Construction: When flags wear out, it shows first in the seams and in the ends where you might see fraying. Our flags are made of the best materials and are sewn with the strongest seams.

American Made: When you buy an American-made flag, you are not only supporting the U.S. economy, but you are buying a far superior product. If your flag does not come with a tag that says "Made in America," it probably wasn't.

Guarantee: Companies that offer very limited guarantees or no guarantees may be selling an inferior product. Always check the guarantee.

Price: With flags, you usually get what you pay for. Low cost alternatives are likely to be foreign-made and will wear quickly, costing more in the long run as you replace them often.

Flag Fabric Choices

Nylon - The most popular fabric choice for both outdoor and indoor US flags. Nylon is light and durable, stands up well to the elements, and dries quickly. Because it's light, it flies well in the slightest breeze and has a bright appearance in sunlight. Click here to buy a nylon U.S. flag on sale now!

Tough-Tex Polyester - The best choice for extreme weather conditions or high wind areas. Ounce-for ounce, longer wearing and heavier than nylon. Our Tough-Tex American flags are made with a special weave that has the look and feel of cotton, flies well and lasts far longer than traditional weaves. Click here to order a Tough-Tex U.S. flag on sale now!

Cotton - Cotton is the traditional flag fabric, so if you're a purist, this is the fabric for you. Our Super-Tough polyester comes close, but nothing can quite duplicate the warmth of a cotton flag. Our cotton flags are designed to withstand outdoor use, but extra care should be taken to preserve your cotton flag. Click here to order a cotton U.S. flag on sale now!

What size flag do I need?

The usual size of a flag used on a home kit is 3'x5'. Use the guide below as your guide for flagpoles in residential and commercial settings.

Flagpole Height/Flag Size

20' flagpole/3' X 5' or 4' X 6' flag

25' flagpole/5' X 8' flag

30'-35' flagpole/6' X 10' flag

40'-45' flagpole/8' X 12' flag

50' flagpole/10' X 15' flag

60'-65' flagpole/10' X 19' flag

70'-80' flagpole/12' X 18' flag

90'-100' flagpole/20' X 38' flag

Which flags are best suited for high-wind settings?
Our Tough-Tex flags are the very best you can buy and are specially engineered for durability.

Our tips for buying flags and other products online:


* Only buy from websites that use McAfee Secure or another independent web security monitoring service. Look for the logo near the top of the page.

* Never buy from websites that have disabled their BBB link. You should be able to click the BBB link and directly view their report. If that link has been disabled, either the company is not a BBB member in good standing or they have so many complaints that they are embarrassed to show you the report.

* Phishing sites designed to steal your credit card information often use hyphenated domain names. We suggest avoiding websites with hyphenated domain names.

* Stay away from fly-by-night online stores that make outrageous claims, feature fake customer testimonials and boast about being the "biggest" and "best."

Avoid the hassle! Stick with the trusted name in flags - AmericanFlags.com


AmericanFlags.com supplies American flags and flagpoles to every branch of the U.S. armed forces, thousands of major corporations, small businesses, veterans groups, schools and retail stores nationwide, and tens of thousands of patriotic families. They've put their trust in us, our products, our customer service and our good name. We hope you will too!

AmericanFlags.com also features state flags, international flags, military flags, historic flags, sports flags, novelty flags, advertising flags and garden banners. AmericanFlags.com also carries patriotic gifts, patriotic decorations, and military clothing.

Get better flags for less by buying direct from AmericanFlags.com.

We sell only American-made US flags.

Most items in-stock and ready to ship.

Transactions are safe and secure at AmericanFlags.com

AmericanFlags.com has a superior customer feedback rating!

Most of our flags are on sale right now!

AmericanFlags.com is one of the world's largest suppliers of durable residential and commercial-grade American flags featuring Tough-Tex American flags and PermaNyl American flags in a variety of popular sizes.

We proudly carry flags made by the nation's oldest flagmakers - Annin & Co and Valley Forge Flag, charter members of the Flag Manufacturers Association of America. For more than 200 years, the American flag has been our national symbol of pride, unity and strength. We believe that an American flag should be made in America by American workers and as such, we proudly sell only American-made US flags. We stand behind our products and our American flags come with a 1-year colorfast warranty.

Corporate buyers: We gladly accept purchase orders for orders over $100! Please fax your signed purchase order to 1-631-750-9472.

Government buyers: Click here to see our full selection of U.S. Government-specified flags and accessories.

Online ordering at AmericanFlags.com is safe, simple and secure. If, however, you rather place your order via fax or mail, you may use the printable order form linked here. You may also call us at 1-877-763-3423.