Inside an Annin American Flag Manufacturing Plant

Sales of American flag in the US are back down to pre-9/11 levels. A saturated market, compounded by unease over the war in Iraq and a diminished sentiment of national pride under the Bush presidency, has meant fewer new purchases.

Manufacturers, such as Annin & Co. - the largest and oldest producer in the country according to them - have had to downsize and adjust production.

Figures are difficult to come by in an industry composed of private companies. However,...
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Sales of American flag in the US are back down to pre-9/11 levels. A saturated market, compounded by unease over the war in Iraq and a diminished sentiment of national pride under the Bush presidency, has meant fewer new purchases.

Manufacturers, such as Annin & Co. - the largest and oldest producer in the country according to them - have had to downsize and adjust production.

Figures are difficult to come by in an industry composed of private companies. However, according to the Flag Manufacturers Association of America 100 million American flags are produced in the United States every year.

Although, 120 million US flags were imported - mainly from China - in order to satisfy post-9/11 demand, foreign competition remains a limited challenge for this branch of the textile industry as most Americans insist their flags be US-made.
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