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Annin & Co. has been making American flags since 1847, when Alexander Annin founded the company in New York City. Its first big surge in business was during the Civil War, when Americans began to purchase flags to display at their homes.
On the forefront of technology, Annin made the sewing machine a standard piece of flag-making equipment. Its investment in equipment and the American workforce was again reiterated during World War I, when Annin began using mechanized die-cutters and highly-efficient assembly lines.
In the patriotic fervor of World War II, flag sales rose yet again. The addition of Alaska and Hawaii in 1959 and 1960 generated a flood of orders from Americans who wanted to replace their outdated 48-state stars.
In 1969, Annin participated in NASA's famous Apollo 11 lunar landing mission that was broadcast on televisions, radios, and in newspapers worldwide. The American Bicentennial brought about a flag boom in 1976, and Annin's growth continued as they bought out domestic competitors.
Flag sales increased dramatically after the tragedy on September 11, 2001, and Annin responded to the resulting flag shortage with an increase in production and an even stronger effort to keep American flag-making on US soil.
Annin & Co. became a founding member of the Flag Manufacturer's Association of America, an industry organization dedicated to promoting the manufacture of US flags in America, by Americans, with domestically made fabric. The company is now known as the premier flag maker in the United States. |
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