The True Cost of a Presidential G-Spec Flag of the United States

To calculate the Price Per Square Foot for a Titus “Gale Force” Heavy Duty Flag made with Dacron sailcloth and high-quality materials, let’s detail the costs based on a 30″x57″ Presidential Flag of the United States:

Material Costs:

1. Dacron Sailcloth:

– 4-ounce Dacron sailcloth at $20 per yard (60″ bolt width).

– One yard covers a 2-1/2’x5′ flag area.

– Total Input Cost for Sailcloth: $20

2. PTFE Lifetime Thread:

– $1 per 10 yards, and typically around 20 yards are used for the entire flag.

– Total Thread Input Cost: $2

3. Stars (Cut from 5oz Adhesive-Backed Dacron Tape):

– 50 stars made with a hot die from adhesive-backed Dacron sail repair tape.

– Cost of Dacron tape: $10 per 15 feet, and about 3 feet of tape are needed for the stars.

– Total Star Input Cost: 3 feet = $2 per foot × 3 = $6

4. Heavy Webbing Header:

– $1 per foot for 6 feet of header (twice the hoist length of 3 feet).

– Total Header Input Cost: $6

5. Hand-Seized Rings:

– Two rings at $2 each, seized with waxed sailing twine

– Total Input Cost for Rings: $4

6. Hemming:

– Requires durable hems around the entire perimeter and reinforcement at the fly end.

– Estimated Hemming Cost: $5

7. Painting with Outdoor UV Acrylic Paint:

– Painting Titanium White, Old Glory Red, and Old Glory Blue with UV acrylic paint for extreme durability.

– Estimated Paint and Application Input Cost: $20

8. Varnish:

– Two coats of exterior grade Spar Varnish.

– Esitmated Varnish Input Costs: $3

Labor Costs:

With two specialists (one seamster for the main assembly and hemming, and one painter for the detailed star application and painting), combined overhead is $80 per hour. The estimated time to complete each flag is 3 hours, given the complexity and care required for high-quality, long-lasting construction.

– Labor Cost per Flag: $80/hour × 3 hours = $240

Total Production Cost:

Total Material Costs: $20 (Dacron) + $2 (thread) + $6 (stars) + $6 (header) + $4 (rings) + $5 (hemming) + $20 (paint) = $66

Total Labor Costs: $240

Total Production Cost per Flag: $63 (materials) + $240 (labor) = $309

Pricing Per Square Foot:

Total Area of the Flag: 15 square feet (30″x57″)

Cost per Square Foot: $309 / 12 = $25.75 per square foot

Suggested Pricing:

1. Target Per Square Foot Price: To ensure a reasonable margin and cover overhead, round to $25 per square foot.

2. Final Flag Price: For a 30″x57″ g-spec flag (12 square feet), this would be $300 per flag.

This pricing reflects the use of premium materials such as Dacron sailcloth and PTFE thread, along with the labor-intensive processes like hand-seizing and precise star applications. Given the 5-year outdoor lifespan, and a lifetime in the decades and possibly centuries indoors, this flag offers long-term durability and authentic craftsmanship, positioning it as a premium product in the market.

Titus “Gale Force” Heavy Duty Flag – Pricing Per Square Foot: $25USD