So far, 2016 is shaping up to be a banner year for American flag sales, thanks to a combination of factors.
Summertime is the season for American flag sales, as Memorial Day, Flag Day and Fourth of July fall within a month or so of one another. But this year, increased construction and patriotism and the presidential election are boosting sales too, USA Today reports.
Flag sales dipped during the recession, partly due to decreased construction of new buildings. Now that the economy has improved, however, so has the construction industry. That means more new buildings in need of flagpoles and flags.
The heated presidential election season also helps sales, as flags are needed for political events. As USA Today puts it:
In the flag business, sales reflect the political state of affairs regardless of party affiliation.
Additionally, Jodi Goglio, chief operating officer at Eder Flag Manufacturing Co., tells USA Today:
“Most importantly, we feel there’s a rise in patriotism.”
Eder’s sales are up 15 percent from a year ago, USA Today reports.
Eder has been making flags for more than a century, including the flag famously hoisted by firefighters at Ground Zero in New York City after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2011.
Based in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, Eder sells its flags through 5,000 independent dealerships like the Flag Center, which has stores in Oak Creek and Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. The Flag Center’s sales are also up from last year.
Flag Center owner Tom Pluster tells USA Today that “this year in particular, Wisconsin is in play politically. So we have done a lot of business with the campaigns on both sides of the aisle.”
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