Banner Guide

How Long Should My Banner Last?

According to US Government Standards, a high-quality outdoor flag will have a life expectancy of 90 days. There are a number of factors that will impact lifespan, many of which vary by region, especially weather conditions like sun/UV intensity and wind. We use a high-quality UV-protected polyester and durable double-needle lockstitch sewing to minimize the impact of these (unfortunately) unavoidable environmental factors and to maximize the life of your flag. And while we can’t guarantee it for every use, most customers will find their flags last about double this government standard - around 6 months!

 

How do You Make a Flag Last Longer?

Wind, water, sun and carelessness are the major enemies of a flag. Here are some important tips to lengthen the life of your flag.

  • Occasionally wash your flag in warm detergent water will prevent pollutants and dirt from weakening the fabric
  • Always let your flag dry thoroughly before storing it to prevent mildew or color transfer
  • At the first sign of fraying, you can trim and re-hem the flag, which will help it last longer
  • Always keep your flagpole as clean as possible
  • Move your pole if your flag doesn't have adequate room to fly unobstructed
  • If it is an extremely windy day (20 mph+), or heavy rain or snow, take the flag in
  • Don't drive at any speed over parade speed with your flag attached to your automobile
  • Take extra precautions during the winter, learn more from our article on winter preparedness

 

RGB, CMYK, and Pantone Colors

The colors that you see on your computer and phone aren’t the same color that will print. A commonly asked question is “Please explain CMYK vs RGB to me, I don’t understand. Why can’t you make the color match my computer screen?”

RGB stands for Red, Green, and Blue. This color mode is used for digital mediums, such as computers, TVs, and phones. Your computer monitor and other RGB displays will display your color with a combination of red, green, and blue light. These lights create bright and vibrant colors with a neon “glow.”

CMYK stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black. This mode is used for printing materials such as feather flags flyers, brochures, etc. To make color CMYK you have to physically mix different amounts of C, M, Y, and K ink to create your desired color. It’s like mixing paint colors.

Pantone colors use a Pantone Matching System (PMS) based on CMYK to print standardized colors across different businesses and industries. This system is used across the US to identify specific colors, match colors, or guarantee the use of color.

 

What is a vector file?

There are generally two types of images you'll see online and in apps, rasters (also known as bitmaps) and vectors.

The distinction between them can seem complicated, but is actually quite simple. Raster graphics are made of a grid of pixels, each one of which is assigned a precise color. Vectors, on the other hand, are built from mathematically defined shapes like lines and curves. 

This means that vector graphics can be infinitely resized without losing any sharpness or color quality, which is great for projects that need high quality images.