The Quality and Craftsmanship of our Products: Outdoor American Flags

At Carrot-Top, we understand that an American flag is more than just a symbol; it's a testament to national pride and craftsmanship. As a proud FMAA-certified retailer, we dedicate ourselves to selling American flags that represent our nation and showcase the pinnacle of quality and manufacturing excellence. Dive into the journey of how our signature American flags, including the Beacon® nylon and Patriarch® polyester U.S.A. flags, are meticulously crafted to exceed the highest quality standards.

How Are American Flags Made?

Manufacturing American flags is a strict, multi-step process involving dying, cutting, and sewing different pieces of fabric to produce our nation's fine emblem. In this blog, we discuss each step in detail so you can understand the care that goes into creating each signature Beacon Nylon or Patriarch Polyester U.S. Flag we sell. 

Step 1: It starts with the fabric 

Carrot-Top sells outdoor American flags made from durable, long-lasting fabric. Before entering the factory, the nylon is sourced from NC-based mills and carefully inspected for quality.  

Step 2: Dyed to match Old Glory’s colors 

Specialists dye each flag using state-of-the-art equipment to ensure vibrant and long-lasting colors. Each 4,000-yard roll of nylon takes approximately 12 hours to dye, and it goes back and forth 18 times to make sure the dye thoroughly coats each roll of fabric. Polyester flags require specialized machinery to get the same vibrancy as nylon. Each roll takes 6-8 hours to dye.  

Our factories dye approximately 80,000-90,000 yards of fabric each week.

Step 3: Treated and then dried 

After dyeing, each flag is laid flat and run through an industrial dryer. The flag then goes through another processing round to ensure the dye penetrates deeply into the fabric. A final round of coating ensures that the flag is UV-resistant, holding its colors through long periods of harsh sun. 

On-staff chemical engineers constantly look for ways to optimize the dyeing and fabric-treating process while ensuring compliance with government regulations. This helps ensure minimal bleeding and fading with outdoor use. 

Step 4: Cut to match specific proportions 

Before heading to the sewing department, the long spools of fabric are cut to match the exact dimensions of the U.S. stripes and iconic blue field. The width of each stripe depends on the size of the flag. After the cutting process, these long strips of fabric are wrapped into a spool and labeled with their dimensions. The blue pieces will go to the specialized embroidery factory for further processing. 

Step 5: Preparing the blue field 

The next step depends on the size of the flag. For 12'x18' flags and smaller, the blue fabric strips go to the specialized embroidery factory, where machines meticulously embroider all fifty stars onto the blue field. Flags 15'x25' and up go through a time-intensive applique process. This involves:  

• Cutting out the stars using a stencil and heavy machinery 
• Meticulously placing each star onto the blue field before pressing them into the fabric with an iron 
• Drying each flag  
• Using careful double-sided stitching to secure each star to the flag, ensuring beauty and longevity  

Step 6: Putting the flag together

Once the components are ready, they go to the sewing department for further processing. During sewing, skilled U.S. flag makers put each flag together with the help of sewing machines. The sewists individually attach each stripe to the flag, starting with the blue field and then working their way down. After finishing the main components of each flag, the sewists attach the header and then hem the edges.  

Each sewist specializes in a different part of the flag, with one working on the stripes, another one reinforcing the fly ends, another person attaching the header, etc. Each person is cross-trained to do the job of the person in front of them and behind them in the assembly line. The grommets are one of the last pieces attached to the flag. They are attached using specialized machinery that pierces a hole through the header, securing the grommet to each flag.  

Step 7: Preparing for shipment 

After finishing, the flag makers thoroughly inspect each flag to ensure it is free of defeats. They then put the appropriate label on each flag and box it up to prepare for shipping.  

Check for Flags Made by FMAA-Certified Retailers 

Carrot-Top is proud to be a member of the FMAA, an organization that rigorously monitors our production process to ensure our flags are made in America from domestically sourced materials. Buying from an FMAA-certified retailer is the best way to ensure your flag is truly made in America. Buying from us helps bolster the American economy, keeping hardworking men and women employed.  

Buy an Outdoor American Flag from Carrot-Top! 

Every American flag we sell comes from American factories. Dedicated to ensuring quality, we curate products from top-rated U.S. flag makers such as Valley Forge, Annin Flagmakers, Eder Flag, and more.

Every Patriarch® Polyester and Beacon® Nylon American Flag undergoes the process described in the article, ensuring a top-quality flag that resists deterioration. We're so confident in the quality of our flags that we include an industry's best six-month guarantee against fading, tearing, and defects. Discover why government agencies, schools, and those who demand the best trust our flags. Visit us to explore our top-rated U.S. flags and experience the Carrot-Top difference!