Breaking Down the Parts of a Flag

Breaking Down the Parts of a Flag

At its simplest, a flag offers a means to display an idea or a message to the world. Many people fly flags to represent their sports team affiliations or other fandoms. Other flags get displayed in support of charitable or political causes. And of course, state and national flags typically signal pride or patriotism. Many flags also tell a story. For example, each of the 50 stars in the American flag represents one of the nation’s 50 states, and each of the 13 stripes stands for one of the original 13 colonies that created the United States. 

What are the Parts of a Flag Called?

• Header. This heavy fabric runs along the flag’s inside edge to reinforce its connection to a flagpole.
• Grommets. Usually made from brass or steel, these metal rings reinforce the holes found in a flag’s header.
• Field or ground. The flag’s field, sometimes called a ground, refers to all fabric between the fly and the hoist.
• Canton. The canton houses a specific flag design element. For instance, in the American flag, the canton includes the blue field with the 50 white stars.
• Fly end. The fly end of a flag is the loose end that blows and flaps in the wind.
• Fly. The fly is the length of a flag from the header to the fly end.
• Hoist end. The hoist end refers to the flag’s side that includes the header and grommets and attaches to the flag pole.

What are the Flag Structures?

Here are the three most common flag structures:

• Single-sided flag. The design of a single-sided flag is only printed on one side and doesn’t show through on the other side.
• Single/reverse flag. A single/reverse flag has the design printed on one side, but a reverse image of the design shows on the other side of the flag. This method is most common for making affordable flags.
• Double-sided flag. A double-sided flag tends to be of higher quality, with the design displayed prominently on both sides without bleeding through to each other. A double-sided flag is created by sewing two single-sided fabric prints together into a heavier, durable piece of unified fabric. While more costly, these flags are ideal for exposure to wind and weather.

What High-Quality Flag Parts Can We Provide?

E.W. Hannas provides a variety of high-quality flag parts:

• Flag sticks
• Flag poles
• Finials
• Bases
• Brackets
• Eyelets/grommets
• Two-piece flag poles

E.W. Hannas has been a leading supplier of wood flag parts to the largest American flag manufacturers since the 1940s, without interruption. We have hundreds of dedicated workers who provide unparalleled consistency and commitment to this industry alone. Let our efficiency and quality add value to your finished product, with a timely and reliable team that always stays focused on flags. We stay ahead of the curve with production in numerous regions, and our products are 100% Made in America. 

Contact us today to speak with one of our knowledgeable salespeople for a quote.