The Albanian flag consists of a red background with a two-headed black eagle in the center. The current Albania flag was adopted in 1992 but the origins of the flag design go back to the 15th century when Albania won independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1443.

The symbol on the flag is derived from a similar seal of Gjergj Kastriot Skanderbeg, who led the Albanian revolt. The two headed eagle also is symbolic of the relgious devide between Christian in the western part of Albania and Orthodox in the eastern part.

The new flag was made official after the fall of communism in 1992. Some similar flags to the Albanian flag are the presidential flag of Kosovo, due to the citizens Albanian background and to the Byzantine flag because of Albanian ties to that empire's history.

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Albania Flag

Afghanistan's official flag has changed over 15 times in the last 100 years due to civil conflict within the country. The flag shown above was adopted by the transitional government in 2002.

This flag consists of three stripes of the colors black, red and green. The center emblem is the classical emblem of Afghanistan with a mosque with its mihrab facing Mecca. This has been present on most flags of Afghanistan in the last twenty years.

Many of the pre-Taliban era flags contained the same colors and emblems.

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Afghanistan Flag

Many of our customers have questions about the different kinds of flag fabrics that we carry. Here is a guide to the types of flag fabrics that you will find on the market today.

One-Ply Polyester: This is generally the lowest grade of flag fabric on the market today. These flags are best used indoors, the fabric will not hold well to the elements long. We only carry one-ply polyester flags on certain items because we have found with constant use outside the flags will last anywhere from 1-3 months. These types of flags are good to use if you have an indoor event where you need a number of large flags for decoration purposes because of their low cost.

Cotton: Very few flag retailers now carry cotton flags. Most of the customers that we receive that ask for cotton flags are looking for historical items. Flag manufacturers have almost discontinued making cotton flags due to their high cost and low durability.

Nylon: Nylon is by far the most popular flag fabric and it has the best cost to durability ratio on the market today. 95% of the items on our website are made from nylon fabric. Nylon is easy to use in the manufacturing process. Whether it be embroidery for our American Flags, or an acid dye process for our State Flags, or an applique process for our American Historical Flags, nylon is the easiest material to use.

Nylon flags that are left out year round will generally last 9-12 months and are the best value on the market.

Polyester II: Two-ply polyester flags are the toughest and the most durable flags on the market. A two-ply polyester flag will generally last 12-18 months if left year round. There are a limited number of flags that are available in this style due to the difficulty of printed on the material. We carry two-ply polyester American flags as well as state flags. Hopefully if demand increases manufacturers will start making world flags in this style as well.


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American Flags
State Flags
American Historical Flags

Here are some important Flag Flying Holidays to observe:



New Year's Day: January 1st



Martin Luther King Day: Third Monday in January



Inauguration Day: January 20th (every 4 years)



Lincoln's Birthday: February 12th



President's Day: Third Monday in February



Washington's Birthday: February 22nd



Easter Sunday: Variable



Army Day: April 6th



V-E Day: May 8th



Mother's Day: Second Sunday in May



Armed Forces Day: Third Sunday in May



Memorial Day: Last Monday in May



Flag Day: June 14th



Father's Day: Third Sunday in June



Independence Day: July 4th



Labor Day: First Monday in September



V-J Day: September 2nd



Patriot Day: September 11th



Constitution Day: September 17th



Columbus Day: Second Monday in October



Navy Day: October 27th



Election Day: First Tuesday after first Monday in November



Veteran's Day: November 11th



Thanksgiving Day: Fourth Thursday in November



Pearl Harbor Day: December 7th



Christmas Day: December 25th

Before you store your American flag, make sure it is dry and free from moisture.  This will prevent stainging and water damage.  American Flags affixed to staffs should be carefully furled, and place in a flag case or a protective wrapping.  They should be stored upright and preferably in a cool, dry, dark place.

Iron on patches make rips and holes easy to repair.  They can be bought in a local crafts store to match the colors and the material of your flag for easy repair.

If your flag has become soiled the best way to get out dirt is with some warm water with soap and gently work out the dirt.  Try not to do this too often as the colors on your flag may tend to fade.

Also if conditions are particularly stormy or windy you may want to take your flag down and store in a safe place as this will add to the life of your flag substantially.