Feather or teardrop flag: which shape, size and base?

Choosing a feather or teardrop flag comes down to what you want to put on it: a feather flag is tall and narrow with a straight edge, so it suits a word or a short phrase running up the flag, while a teardrop flag is rounder and suits a logo or a short word placed in the middle. Both do the same job outside a shop, at an event or on a forecourt, and both take the same bases.

After the shape, you choose a height, single or double sided print and a base. Here is how to decide each.

Feather or teardrop flag: the shapes #

	Feather flag	Teardrop flag
Shape	Tall and narrow, curved top, straight pole side	Rounded teardrop, wider in the middle
Best artwork	A word or phrase running up the flag, a tall logo	A logo or one short word in the centre
Heights	2.6 m, 3.2 m, 4 m, 4.9 m	2.1 m, 2.8 m, 3.5 m, 4.6 m
Look	Tall and eye-catching from a distance	Compact, neat, keeps a clear outline

If your message is a word such as “OPEN”, “SALE” or your business name, a feather flag gives you the most readable space. If your brand is best shown as a logo, a teardrop flag frames it well. You can compare every height side by side in our feather flags range and the teardrop range next to it.

Choosing a height for your feather or teardrop flag #

Taller flags are seen from further away and over parked cars, but they are also more affected by wind and need a heavier base. A rough guide:

• Shop front or pavement: a 2.6 m feather or 2.1 m to 2.8 m teardrop. Big enough to see along the street, small enough not to overwhelm the shop.
• Car park, forecourt or roadside: a 3.2 m to 4 m feather or 3.5 m teardrop, so it shows above parked cars.
• Large events and open fields: the tallest sizes, 4.9 m feather or 4.6 m teardrop, set on a heavy base.

Check the listed height against any canopy, sign or trees above where the flag will stand.

Single or double sided #

A single sided flag is printed on one face; the design shows through to the back but reads in reverse. That is fine where people mostly see one side, such as a flag against a wall. Choose double sided when the flag stands in open space and people approach from both directions, or when the text must read correctly both ways, such as a business name on a roadside flag.

Choosing a base #

The base matters as much as the flag. The wrong base is how flags fall over.

Surface	Base
Grass, soil, sand	Standard or budget ground spike, pushed or screwed into the ground
Paving, tarmac, indoors	Cross base with a water base on top for weight, or a small square base for indoor use
Car forecourts and showrooms	Drive-on car base, which sits under a car wheel
Long-term hard ground outdoors	Concrete base or a large water base

All the base options are chosen on the flag’s product page, or bought separately as flag bases and ground spikes if you already have flags. Our guide to putting up a feather flag shows how each base goes together; teardrop flags assemble the same way.

Artwork tips for each shape #

Feather flags

• Run text up the flag, reading bottom to top, in large bold letters.
• Keep the lower part simple; it is often hidden by the base, cars or people.
• Leave clear space along the pole edge, where the sleeve goes.

Teardrop flags

• Put the logo or word in the widest part of the teardrop.
• Keep text horizontal and short; one word or a short name.
• Avoid the narrow tip and the pole sleeve.

Always design on the template for the exact shape and height, because the printable area of a feather or teardrop flag is not a rectangle. Ask us for the right template if you are designing it yourself, or choose artwork help in the options.

Feather or teardrop flag by business #

• Car dealers and garages: rows of tall feather flags along the forecourt on drive-on car bases, with a word such as SALE, MOT or OPEN, read from the road.
• Cafes and shops: one feather or teardrop flag by the door on a cross base with a water base, carrying the business name.
• Events and sports clubs: teardrop flags with sponsor logos around a pitch or arena on ground spikes.
• Estate and site offices: a tall feather flag by the entrance so visitors can find it from the car park.

How many flags? #

One flag says you are here. Two either side of an entrance frame it. A row of three or more along a road or a forecourt becomes a feature that is hard to miss. If you are buying more than one, matching sizes look deliberate; a mix of a feather or teardrop flag in the same row can work, but keep the heights close.

Quantities from 1 to 99 are priced on each flag page, and larger quantities usually cost less per flag.

Wind and weather #

Flags are designed to move with the wind, and a water or cross base should be filled or weighted fully before the flag goes on. Put the flag where it can spin freely without hitting a wall, a window or passers-by. In strong wind take them in. A flag left out in a gale can bend the pole or tip the base. Store the flag dry, rolled round the pole sections or folded loosely in its bag.

Permission #

Flags outside a business are outdoor advertisements. A flag on your own forecourt or land is usually straightforward; on a public pavement you may need council permission. The government guide to outdoor advertisements and signs explains the rules.

Summary #

• Word or phrase: feather flag. Logo or one short word: teardrop flag.
• Street level: the smaller heights. Over parked cars: the middle heights. Fields and big events: the tallest.
• Seen from both sides: double sided.
• Match the base to the ground.

Whichever you choose, a feather or teardrop flag is made to order, around 6 working days to dispatch on the standard option. See the full flags range. UK mainland delivery is £7.95 per order and free when your goods total is £99 or more after discount codes.