EXCLUSIVE: Allegiance Flag Supply On Reviving US Manufacturing One Flag At A Time

A company in Charleston, South Carolina, is proudly manufacturing American flags sourced and sewn by skilled seamstresses in the United States, a co-founder told the Daily Caller.

Allegiance Flag Supply co-founder Katie Lyon reflected on the values that shaped her patriotism ahead of the nation’s 249th anniversary in a Monday interview with the the Caller. She also recounted how that spirit led to the business venture she launched with her co-founders, Max Berry and her husband, Wes Lyon.

No tariffs. No price hikes. No compromise. Just American-made quality, always.🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/uz2o19G9Th

— Allegiance Flag Supply (@AllegianceFlag) April 21, 2025

Lyon’s “strong love for country” was instilled by her family, especially those who served in the armed forces. (RELATED: Why July 4th Is the Deadliest Day on the Water — And What It Teaches Us About Risk)

In her 20s, that patriotism was “revitalized” when she met her husband, an Eagle Scout, who helped her “redefine” what love of country meant.

She noted that his final Eagle Scout badge — on flag etiquette — inspired their entrepreneurial journey.

Lyon reflected on the Fourth of July holiday and the unique role it plays in her company. Unlike many e-commerce businesses whose busiest season is during Christmas, she said their “biggest time of year is always right around these patriotic holidays.”

She explained that the nation’s anniversary typically feels like the company’s version of a holiday party.

“We celebrate American independence, we celebrate what an incredible year it has been for our company in that sense, but we are able to celebrate something so much bigger and more meaningful, being the independence of our country.”

“I love that about Allegiance … we have our big celebration around what means so much to the product that we sell,” she added.

Lyon told the Caller that Allegiance was founded with a mission to support U.S. jobs and described one of her proudest milestones.

“From hiring our first American job to now being over one hundred and supporting hundreds of more American jobs through 100% American supply chain.”

“Like with every American family that we witness that is able to be supported through a mission by far exceeds everything else when it comes to owning [an] American manufacturing business,” Lyon said.

She added that revitalizing the textile industry in her home state has been deeply meaningful.

“A lot of textile jobs were moved overseas — we saw a lot of that in the early ’90s and late ’80s.”

“So to really see that and be even a very small part in that revitalization, especially in our state of South Carolina, [means] a lot,” Lyon continued. “It was a big textile state.”

“[Y]ou can drive through some cities and towns in South Carolina and see a lot of them are gone because of the decline in the textile industry,” she added.

That’s right! Every purchase from Allegiance supports thousands of American workers and their families!🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/3HWeeKa9qf

— Allegiance Flag Supply (@AllegianceFlag) May 8, 2025

Lyon also shared that the company runs a program to teach employees how to sew, calling it a skill that no one can take away.

“We are able to give something to someone that they have for life. By far, just the people we work alongside with is the greatest honor.”

When asked about the challenges of being an American manufacturer, Lyon acknowledged the difficulty of operating differently from global competitors.

“We can’t just pick up the phone and call Shenzhen and say, ‘hey, we need 3,000 more units.’ We have an incredible position to be able to do things differently.”

She emphasized that Allegiance is committed to doing things the right way, even when it’s the harder path. (RELATED: US Job Growth Beat Expectations In June)

“It is the hard thing to do, but we truly believe it’s the right thing to do.”

Lyon also noted that tariffs weren’t even on her or her co-founders’ radar when starting the business.

“We believe the right thing is to support American jobs, so when all these tariffs started coming out it was like, well, that’s no issue to us at all, because this is what we have been doing all along. But to say it’s hard? Yes, it’s incredibly difficult.”

Lyon went on to talk about the competitive edge that comes with being made in the U.S., especially when it comes to quality control and setting their own product standards.

“We create our own moat,” she said, referring to the unique advantage it gives their company.

She explained that while it provides a strong foundation, it doesn’t come without a great deal of hard work.

Lyon also shared what initially sparked their patriotic business venture into producing American flags.

“Wes and I just got married — we were flying flags on our first home that we bought right after marriage,” she said. “[W]e were so excited to fly an American flag.”

“A couple of months later it started to turn green or rip or tear, and then came to find out we weren’t savvy enough to look at the tag where it was from,” she added.

Even when they searched for American-made flags, they kept running into the same issues — poor quality and a lack of emotional connection or story behind the product.

“I call it a product, but it’s so much more than that. It’s so much more than a piece of fabric,” Lyons said. “It’s being able to hear what that means to every customer — it’s very powerful.”

She went on to describe how the company has navigated recent years, especially as the political climate has influenced how patriotism is perceived.

“Everything feels politicized. But what Allegiance has done, and what we feel so strongly about, is we’re an American flag for Americans.”

“We’re an American flag for whomever wants one,” she added.

“We believe in so many of the values our country represents, and if that resonates with someone — if they want to fly an American flag that supports American jobs and military organizations — then we’re a flag for that person.”

Allegiance has also partnered with Medal of Honor recipient Dakota Meyer, who now serves as a brand ambassador.

The Caller asked about Meyer’s partnership and how his story — including his recent re-enlistment in the Marine Corps Reserve — reflects the company’s values. “What holds more integrity than re-enlisting in the military to defend the people and the values that you believe in?” Lyons responded.

Hello Twitter world, we’re Allegiance Flag Supply! We’re a small business with a focus on bringing textile manufacturing back to the USA. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/cq0x7aY5yQ

— Allegiance Flag Supply (@AllegianceFlag) October 28, 2022

“I’m emotional even talking about it,” she added. (RELATED: ‘Exceeded Expectations Again’: May Job Report Shows ‘Strong’ Economy, Analysts Say)

Lyons also expressed gratitude for the opportunity to give back — something she credits to being born and raised in the United States.

“Max, Wes, and I were given such an amazing opportunity by this country,” she said. “What is more American than being given the opportunity to give to someone else?”

“[W]e truly believe in paying it forward, and we are trying to find — and I think I’ve found — a lot of wonderful ways to be able to do that,” she concluded