Guide

Flag line or pennant line: paper or weatherproof Yupo?

Flag lines and pennant lines do the same job — marking a space and drawing attention — but the choice between paper and Yupo determines whether your line lasts an afternoon or a season.

Same purpose, different silhouette

A flag line has rectangular flags, a pennant line has pointed ones. The technical difference is small, the visual one isn't: rectangles give a calmer, more business-like look and offer more space for a logo or text, while pennants look more festive and draw the eye along the line faster. We supply both as standard in lines of five metres, printed full colour with your own design. For a shop front or a stand, most people choose flags; for a festival, a village fair or a promotional week, most reach for pennants.

Indoors or outdoors: that determines your material

You can choose between 200 gsm FSC paper and Yupo. Paper is the logical choice indoors: in a shop, a hall or under a canopy it holds up fine and looks warm. Yupo is a plastic-like material that doesn't soak through and won't fall apart if it rains. If your line hangs outdoors, or you're not sure because Dutch weather is what it is, Yupo is the safe choice. It's cheaper, but one rain shower on the wrong day costs more.

How many metres do you need?

Measure the distance you want to span and add a bit extra: a line that's stretched taut looks bare and is more likely to break. Allow for ten to fifteen percent extra for sagging and for attachment on both sides. With five-metre lines, that's easy to calculate — for a twelve-metre façade, take three lines rather than trying to cut it to an exact fit. If you hang multiple lines in sequence, keep the same amount of sag; uneven curves stand out immediately.

Designing for a small surface

A flag is viewed from a distance and also moves. That means: large shapes, plenty of contrast, little detail. One word or one logo per flag works better than a complete message that nobody reads. If you want to say more, spread it across consecutive flags — the line reads like a sentence. Keep in mind that flags turn in the wind; a design that works on both sides always looks right.

Hand-waving flags as a moving addition

Where a line marks a spot, a hand-waving flag moves around. At a parade, a sports event or an opening among the crowd, they stand out the most: they move, they're printed double-sided, and afterwards they go home with people instead of into the bin. They're available from 25 pieces, on a stick made entirely of recycled plastic. A line above the stand and flags in visitors' hands reinforce each other.

Hanging up: taut isn't the goal

A line looks best with a slight curve, not dead straight. Attach it at the same height on both sides and let the middle drop by a hand's width; that way the flags catch the wind and move as they should. If hanging outdoors, choose an attachment point with a bit of give — a line that's completely taut will pull at the ends in a gust of wind. Indoors, you can stretch lines diagonally across a space; that fills the height without having to do anything to the wall.

Ordering and delivery time

You put your range together online: shape, material and quantity. We'd prefer you to supply your design as a vector file, so it stays sharp on every little flag. Next comes a digital proof for you to approve; only once you've approved it does production start, at our site in Den Dungen. After approval, we usually print from three working days, plus delivery; the exact lead time is shown on the product page. If you've got a hard deadline — an opening, a party, a trade fair — just let us know with your order, and we'll see what's possible.