Patriotic (Not Political) Designs For Your Merch by Amazon Brand

Contrary to conventional wisdom, it is totally legal to wear any iteration of the American flag on your person.

Sounds weird, right? There is, however, an actual federal code that outlines “flag etiquette”, but it is not legally binding. For decades, there are many who thought that the use of the American flag imagery on apparel was against the law, due to this guideline.

However, if you’ve ever left your house, chances are you’ve seen someone wearing stars and stripes on their person, and in – let’s say – not so respectful areas of their bodies. And on this July 4^th, there will certainly be no shortage of people adorning themselves in the Star-Spangled Banner.

(One hint: it is illegal to wear clothing made from an actual American flag. So, if you’re going to wear the red-white-and-blue, make sure you don’t make it out of the one on your neighbor’s porch.)

You don’t necessarily have to wear the American flag to demonstrate your patriotism. There are all kinds of different imagery that can be used. Lots of pre-Hawaii/Alaska flags, the American bald eagle, the Statue of Liberty, statements about freedom or supporting the brave people who wear the uniform.

Patriotic images are a deeply personal expression of your feelings for America. But, in these unusual times, many images have been co-opted by others looking to make a confrontational statement about their brand of patriotism. What at one time might have seemed like an innocent display of historical imagery can now be misrepresented (or misconstrued) as a political statement. If you pick the wrong imagery, you risk offending someone, so take some care.

MerchInformer decides to celebrate this nation’s history in a strictly patriotic, not political way. So, if you want to stock your “Merch By Amazon” or Amazon Merch on Demand as it is now known, store with items appropriate for Independence Day, we’ve got some ideas that will show fellow citizens on any side of the aisle that we’re all in this together.

1. Supporting the troops

Let’s start with those who are on the front lines of American values: the people who wear the uniforms of the Armed Services. From the day they raise their hand to the day they come home, they are offering to put their lives on the line for American values. They follow orders unquestionably and put themselves in harm’s way. Honoring them is a truly bipartisan sentiment.

There are many ways to demonstrate this, from bold, quasi-military images to subtle statements of recognition, all available in royalty-free form from various sources such as the examples below.

Remember though, if you put anything up about the troops, you do not have the IP or rights to use the branch names of the military.

2. The Founding Fathers

George Washington. Thomas Jefferson. Benjamin Franklin. John Adams. These were men who took on the greatest military in the world at the time in order to birth the Great American Experiment. “We must all hang together,” Franklin said, “or we will all hang separately. In the eyes of King George, they were traitors. In the eyes of every at-the-time colonists, they were patriots.

3. The Statue of Liberty

A gift from France, who was our chief ally during the Revolutionary War, the statue was the first image of America for millions of immigrants looking to build new lives in the land of opportunity. How many of our ancestors passed the plaque bearing the words, “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free”? As we are grateful that they chose to come here, they were bursting with gratitude at the sight of the Lady With The Lamp.

4. The Bald Eagle

Despite its majesty and use by great empires past, the Bald Eagle was not the first choice to be the new nation’s symbolic bird. It was the turkey. Yes, that bird that you spend most of early December reheating was Benjamin Franklin’s preference. Thankfully, ol’ Ben was outvoted, and the great eagle soared into Americana.

5. Washington, D.C

Sure, it’s got its problems, but it is hard to visit the nation’s capital without being overcome by the legendary buildings and structures. The great obelisk of the Washington Memorial. The solemnity of the Lincoln Memorial. The imposing confidence of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. The White House, the Capitol building. The World War 2, Korean War and Vietnam War memorials.  Whatever side of the aisle you’re on, you are certain to find a permanent structure that represents the freedoms that you hold dear.

6. The Flag(s)

The flag we fly today represents all fifty states, but until August 21, 1959 it only bore 48 stars, for the states that were located in the continental U.S. Then-President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued an executive order establishing the design of the 50-star flag, representing the addition of Alaska and Hawaii. An even lesser-known fact is that the famous 13-stars in a circle flag that – according to myth – Betsy Ross sewed for George Washington was not the only flag design used after the colonies freed themselves from Britain. Until we started adding states, the 13 stars were arranged in countless patterns and sometimes in differing sizes. In fact, the flag itself wasn’t considered “sacred” until the 1880s, and was sometimes even used to advertise products. It wasn’t until 1905 that Congress made it illegal to use any national symbol in advertising. Obviously, that law didn’t stick around very long.

If you’re planning to use MercInformer’s tools to create something for your Merch By Amazon business, there are hundreds of patriotic designs in our library. Countless designs are also available through stock houses (such as the examples above) and can be easily uploaded into our design tool.

Plenty of possibilities abound to show your appreciation for the Land of Opportunity.

Happy Independence Day!