Does anyone know a website that sells small US flags for cars that are made of nylon or plastic or some other material that will last longer than a few weeks without fading & fraying?
Sadly, probably nowhere. My father and I got a cheap dollar store flag for both our cars. It lasted about a day. Then we got a real expensive nylon. Granted, it lasted a little longer–about a couple weeks.
The constant stress that the flag is under flapping in the wind as you go 70 down the express must be too much. Just replace it every so often. The economy will love you for it.
HTH:)
I think that the ones that have a double sewn hem around the edges last much longer, especially if they are made from a heavy durable material. Like Jim B. said, the flapping in the wind takes it’s toll on the flag. Perhaps if you could find one made from a thin solid metal like aluminum, it might last much longer. 
I had so little luck with the car flags that I finally switched to a flag decal for the window and a red white and blue antenna ball instead.
Jess
In the fall during football season, I’ll often see cars with a college team logo flag flying attached to the window. Usually, it’s flapping so much you can’t make out the letters or image. Naturally, these wear out before long.
Less commonly, I have seen comparable windsocks; hollow nylon tubes about the same size as the flags. These are very steady in the wind, and so I imagine would last much longer. Being neither flat nor rectangular, they don’t really meet specs for what a US flag should look like, so it’s unlikely these’ll move from college sports into the realm of patriotic fervor.
In addition to wearing out quickly, those flags cut down your gas milage by increasing the wind resistance on your car. I just stuck a flag decal in my rear window. It lasted until I replaced the car, and it didn’t hurt my fuel efficiency
Why not just put a decal on your window? That will last much longer.
Maybe you could just buy a bumper sticker that says “Me Too!” and forego leaving the symbol of our country out in the rain at night on your car antenna. Eagle Scout and former US Navy checking in, don’t want a pit thread or anything. It is vastly disrepectful to trivialize the stars and stripes. They DON’T belong on your tshirt, cap, car, or newspaper ad. I’m not even especially patriotic, it just irks me to see the emblem of our nation tattered and faded on every conceivable surface. Treat her nicely, folks. Raise it in the morning and retire it at night. Don’t stick it on your vehicle to let everyone know that you’ve found a new bandwagon.
Well, I don’t want to start a pit thread either, but I think that if it’s 11" x 14" or smaller it counts as a ‘novelty’ flag, not a true Old Glory and you can be given a little slack for leaving it out in the weather or at night etc.
You shouldn’t make a piece of clothing out of an actual flag (technically, this is illegal) but I don’t know. I don’t see anything wrong with having the image of the Stars & Stripes on a T-shirt or cap or car. I have a small flag decal and front license plate (which isn’t really legal in NY either) as well as a small antenna one. It became trendy right after 9/11, that’s why I make a point of continuing to display them now.
Hooray for stockton! I also get annoyed when I see flags waving at night or in bad weather. Is it so hard for custodians and janitors to take five minutes and bring the flag down?
How is it illegal to make a piece of clothing out of a flag, Hail Ants? Do you have a cite for this? It may be against guidelines for the care and treatment of a flag but one certainly wouldn’t get arrested for doing such a thing.
Though I’m sure the police would find something to arrest you on.
It is in the official code that the flag should not be used or made into clothing, so a lot of localities have actual laws prohibiting it. Years ago, a friend of mine was arrested & fined for wearing a jacket with a real flag sewn onto the back of it. Granted, as you said, it was mostly a harassment thing by the police (my friend was not a real reputable character), but the laws do (or did anyway) exist where I live.
As a Flag Store owner, a couple of suggestions. There does exist an “Antenna Flag” with a Plastic clip for the Car Radio Antenna, 4"x6" in size. Be sure to get one with the gold Fringe. (The movement of the fringe takes away the energy of the fly end of the Flag) Will usually last until it is blown off at 80mph or someone steals it.
For the larger flags, (i.e. 8"x12" or 12"x18") rub silicon rubber (RTV) into the fly end to make it more durable. (This one is courtesy of a Taxi Driver customer of mine.)
As to Fading, make sure that the flag is made in the USA. Most American Made American Flags are more fade-resistant than the Chinese Made American Flags (Who would buy a Chinese Made American Flag)
Long may she Wave. (even on a vehicle)
And as a final note, by a strict reading of the Flag Code, Stickers should not be used to represent the US Flag. “The Flag, when mounted on a vehicle or boat, should fly free and unhindered” Stickers do not fly free.
I had one that was cheap–and got stolen, one that was not and was doing pretty well–and got broken off at the plastic base and stolen! :mad:
I want a flag that will zap the crap out of anyone trying to yank it away. I suppose such technology would be out of my price range, though.
And probably illegal, so don’t rig one up yourself .
Just a quick reply to those who object to flags flying in rain or at night: All-weather flags can be flown in the rain (even under the flag guidelines - in ROTC in college, rain didn’t get you out of showing up at 07:30 and 17:30 for flag honors), and if the flag is properly illuminated, it can be flown at night - and ambient light counts, so it doesn’t require a spotlight.
If flag stickers are a no-no, then somebody had better let NASA, the USAF’s Air Mobility Command, and various other agencies and organizations that incorporate the flag into vehicle markings know they’re doing a bad thing. When the flag is displayed as a vehicle marking or decal, however, the star field should always be toward the front of the vehicle as if the flag were flying “free and unhindered” and being blown by the slipstream.
Also, just a quick mini-rant. For some of us, it’s not a “new-found patriotism” or a “bandwagon” we’ve jumped on. Don’t judge a book by some other book’s cover. I can remember my dad giving me a little American flag with a desktop flag stand when I was 5 years old, and I’ve had a flag on display somewhere in my home or on my car - or both - ever since. I guess that would be nearly 26 years now.