Sunward Flag – Big or small, we make them all!
Sunward Flag Company LLC is a custom flag making company that specializes in hand crafted applique flags. We have been in business for over 30 years.
However, our story begins long before that, in our garage in San Diego where we sewed beautiful tapestry bags and decorative kites, and sold them at local craft shows. One day a friend asked us to make the multi-colored attention flags that are flown in front of apartment buildings, so we did. About six months later the same friend returned and asked us to make the flags again. When we asked what had happened to the other flags, he responded, “they wear out you know”. That was our “Aha!” moment when we realized that making flags was a much better business model as selling flags creates repeat customers and helps you to build your business. So we started making custom flags.
After being asked to produce custom attention flags for an apartment supplier catalog we bid adieu to the garage shop and moved into a larger production space and added additional seamstresses to meet the now increased demand for our products. Over time many commercial and individual groups found us to be a great resource for their custom flags and our business grew and we developed the specialty skills needed to produce applique flags.
With a motto of, “I’m sure we can,” our customers have led us into many different sectors of the flag industry.
The US Navy was instrumental in urging us to make larger (20’x38’) custom battle flags. Word spread and now our battle flags are flown from dozens of Naval ships. The military also came to us with their NTP13B specifications to make their custom Guidons, Admiral flags and Command flags which we do with great precision.
The US Navy Parachute team dropped by our shop to see if we could make a larger 1000 sq ft US flag from a lightweight fabric that they could fly behind them when doing performance jumps. We said why not, and added custom skydiving flags to our product offering.
Click the video here to see the 25’ x 40’ flag was made from a very lightweight parachute material for the Navy Seals in action... Turn your speakers up, as the soundtrack is perfect for this.
Along the way, our customers requested US, State and Military flags to go with their custom flags. In order to accommodate the additional inventory as well as give our skilled seamstresses a greater area to make the larger flags, we moved into a larger and more centralized production facility and expanded our front office team as well as our flag making crew. Now we carry an increased amount of stock in all sizes of these flags as well as City and Country flags.
Requests from our flag customers to provide a flagpole on which to display their flags, led us into the flagpole business. Learning and then doing the installations and repairs, has allowed us the opportunity to expand our expertise and become a major flagpole installation and service company in San Diego.
When we joined NIFDA, new opportunities arose as several of the members were looking for someone to make large state flags and custom flags for their collegiate clients. While appreciating these growth opportunities we have really enjoyed making new friends and finding helpful support and resources amongst the fellow NIFDA nation.
Being a flagmaker also comes with the opportunity to support different groups in our communities. At Sunward Flag we are proud supporters of the LGBTQIA+ community and work to support several Pride Associations by making larger Pride flags for their events. Keep us in mind if you need a custom sized Pride flag to support this community.
Please feel free to drop us a line if we can help you with any of your projects, or stop by if you are visiting San Diego. We’d love to share the best fish taco and margarita spots in town.
Founders: Nancy and John Russell
Mission: To make flags that help our customers tell the world who they are and what they stand for.
Main Product: Applique flags of all sizes
Location: 7527 Convoy Court, San Diego, CA 92111
New Website: www.sunwardflag.com
Contact Info: info@sunwardflag.com or 858-689-8444