Mr Flag, a small Swansea-based business specialising in the design and manufacture of custom outdoor flags, has enjoyed repeated success on the silver screen, from the Marvel Universe to Harry Potter.
The business, owned by Charles Ashburner, has been making and selling flags in Swansea since 1992, and were the UK’s very first online flag retailer. Over the past thirty-three years, the business has built a strong reputation not just in Wales, but internationally.
Charles Ashburner, said: “We have a very strong market in North America, where I design flags to be used in re-enactments of the Revolutionary War. They provide me with a sketch or an image of a flag that used to exist, and I replicate it for them. It’s absolutely fascinating!”
Their strong presence in North America eventually led to Mr Flag designing bespoke flags for several box-office hits. The Swansea-based company designed and distributed multiple flags for the Harry Potter franchise, all of which were featured in the films.
Mr Flag also created the flag which was featured as a coffin drape in Captain America: Civil War, which became the highest-grossing film of 2016.
Despite its international reach, Mr Flag is very proud of its Welsh roots, and is Wales’ longest registered trade member of the Flag Institute. They are the official flag makers for Swansea City AFC, Swansea Pride, Wales Commonwealth Games Team, and Pride Cymru, and also operate the official Swansea City Coffin Drape scheme for fans, free of charge.
Charles continued: “I’m so lucky because my job is my hobby – I’m fascinated by flags, so it never truly feels like I’m ‘working’. People always ask me when I’m planning on retiring, and I always say that I don’t really regard this as work, so probably never!
“I’m incredibly proud of how far the business has come, especially as we’ve been featured on the big screen. There’s a scene in the film ‘Downton’ where a royal flag is being hoisted up a flagpole, and I’m out of shot hoisting it up! This industry sees us create lots of weird and wonderful designs, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Andrew Douglas, Swansea BID manager, said: “Swansea city centre is bursting with incredible businesses. From those that are new to the city to those that have been here for generations. While we hear about the food and beverage or traditional retail businesses that line our streets, it’s not often you hear about the more niche businesses that thrive in our city centre. Mr Flag has grown from strength to strength over the past 30 years and I’m sure we’ll all now keep an eye out for his flags on our TVs and in cinemas.”
