As the owner of a flag company with locations in both Arkansas and Florida, I recently sent a letter to my Senators asking them to support the The American Flag Made in America Act (S 900).This is a bill that everyone can get behind.
The Problem: Foreign-Made “American Flags”
Did you know Foreign-made American flags are falsely being marketed as “made in the USA”? These fake listings are flooding online marketplaces and undercutting honest U.S. manufacturers.
This is hard to believe but true: every month, China alone sells more than 100,000 American flags worth $1.5 million on Amazon. Every month! They are most often without country-of-origin labeling. These flags deceive consumers, threaten American jobs, and even show up, unknowingly, in government buildings and on military bases.
What the American Flag Made in America Act (s.900) Will Do
This important legislation will:
- Give federal agencies and government properties the tools to verify that their flags are 100% made in the USA.
- Direct the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to study country-of-origin labeling on U.S. flags, promoting transparency and consumer protection.
The Backstory: ALL AMERICAN FLAG ACT (H.R. 6206)
You may remember when in 2024, a group of us flagmakers successfully lobbied for the ALL AMERICAN FLAG ACT (H.R. 6206)? Which I am proud to say became law. However, that bill only applied to large federal purchases over $250,000, leaving everyday consumers and small-scale buyers vulnerable to deceptive imports. This seems like an oversite on our part, and I feel the need to apologize, but anyway, we are trying to fix it now.
Our new act, The American Flag Made in America Act (S. 900) closes that dollar amount loophole and protects everyday citizens.
How You Can Comply and Why You Should
Whether it’s a child’s treehouse, a home, boat, school, or military base, we flagmakers believe, and believe everyone else does too, that every American flag should be made in America.
So, to ensure yours is, follow this simple guideline:
Avoid shopping price alone, especially on large online marketplaces. Yes, we all want a deal. But ask yourself: at what cost? Imported flags not only undercut American businesses, they also don’t last as long. In the end, you don’t save much, and you risk supporting unfair trade practices and hurt American workers, which is not very patriotic and kind of defeats the purpose of flying a flag.
A Modern Business Truth vs an old business adage:
We’ve all heard “The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of a low price is forgotten.”
Today, the adage might be changed to: “The bitterness of lost small businesses, local jobs, and economic independence lasts longer than the temporary sweetness of a low price.”
Truthfully they both ring true for the flag industry. American flags are just better quality, last longer, support American workers and small businesses.
Take Action
- Support the American Flag Made in America Act (S. 900)
- Buy your flags from verified U.S. manufacturers. Look for the FMAA seal
- Spread awareness, not all American flags are truly American
Stand Up for America, One Flag at a Time
If we want to protect American jobs, values, and pride, we have to start with the symbol that represents them all.
Let’s make sure every American flag is genuinely Made in America.
About The Author
Kerry McCoy has been in the American flag and banner business for over 50 years, founding Arkansas Flag and Banner in 1975, which has operated as FlagandBanner.com since 1995. Her insights into patriotic trends, and flag sales patterns come from decades of serving customers across America during times of celebration, crisis, and everything in between.
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