To properly fold the American flag, follow these steps:
- Start by holding the flag waist-high with another person, keeping it parallel to the ground and taut. This prevents the flag from touching the ground during folding
- Fold the lower striped section lengthwise over the blue field of stars. Hold the top and bottom edges securely as you do this
- Fold the flag lengthwise again with the blue field on the outside, so the folded edge meets the open edge. This results in a long, narrow strip with the blue field visible on one side
- Begin the triangular folds:
- Bring the striped corner of the folded edge to meet the open edge, forming a triangle.
- Turn the outer point inward parallel to the open edge to form a second triangle.
- Continue folding the flag in this triangular pattern along its entire length
- Tuck the remaining edge into the pocket formed by the folds so that only the blue field with stars is visible. The final folded flag should resemble a neat triangle with no red or white stripes showing
The triangular fold is symbolic, resembling the tricornered hats worn by Revolutionary War soldiers and has become the standard for honoring the flag, especially in military ceremonies
. This method ensures respect and proper handling of the flag during folding and storage.
