NZ firms rally to the Stars and Stripes

19 Sep, 2001 12:14 PM3 mins to read

By BRIDGET CARTER

A week after the horrifying terrorist attacks on the United States, a small shop on the fringe of Auckland City is offering a little solace to Americans looking for a piece of their homeland in a time of crisis.

The Flag & Banner Company in Eden Tce has sold nearly 100 Stars and Stripes flags since terrorists aimed passenger aircraft at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon last week.

Thirty of the flags have gone to people in America who bought them over the internet.

Julie White, who works at the shop, said most of the rest had been sold to Americans living in New Zealand.

She had heard that the United States' entire stock of Stars and Stripes had sold out, which was probably why the Auckland firm had received so many orders through its website from people living there.

"The only reason is that Americans are very patriotic with their flags and use them as a comforting thing," she said.

Sales of New Zealand flags had also risen since last week's tragedy, Ms White said.

But the demand experienced by the Flag & Banner Company is small compared to that of a Wellington flag manufacturing company.

Flagmakers received a request from a Californian company for more than 8000 US flags to be sent immediately, but sales executive Kerrie Prentice said the firm could not handle such a large order.

"Eight thousand immediately is just too much," she said.

Most New Zealand flag companies have seen a boost in sales of US flags since the terrorist attacks on New York and the Pentagon.

Kelly Ashley of Flag Signs on the North Shore said sales had definitely climbed in the past week.

Auckland University sociologist Claudia Bell said she was not surprised that Americans were going to these lengths to purchase their flag. The Stars and Stripes was a symbol that could bring together a diverse country, she said.

In the United States, people often flew the flag in their front gardens.

"Not as many people have them here," Dr Bell said.

"Whether you stick it on the moon or on Everest, it is automatically seen as a symbol of patriotism.

"America seems to be the most patriotic country in the world."

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