Flags made of hemp or biodegradable CiCLO®.
Driven by innovation and sustainability. Two materials, one mission: to take plastic pollution out of the flag industry.
A new standard for the flag industry
Better Flags was created by Niek van der Kuijl out of a clear vision to make the flag industry more sustainable. When Niek noticed that even the most inspiring movements were using symbols made from plastic, he founded Hemptex® to produce premium natural flags crafted from hemp.
Having realized a premium proposition, Niek turned to the challenge of mass-produced polluting polyester flags. Recycled PET, the current 'sustainable option', is not biodegradable, and the supply chain of PET is notoriously untransparent. So he founded Better Flags, enhanced with CiCLO® technology, built into the fibre so the polyester can biodegrade: CiCLO® polyester biodegraded 90 to 94% in independent ASTM lab tests, after 952 to 1,362 days.
Together, Hemptex® and Better Flags tackle the industry's environmental challenges from every angle: Hemptex® delivers a premium natural-fibre product, while CiCLO® provides a practical, groundbreaking alternative for polyester flags. Today you'll find both under one roof: every Better Flag is available in Hemptex® or CiCLO®.
Two materials. One mission.
Every flag we make is either Hemptex® or CiCLO®. Both exist to take plastic pollution out of the flag industry; they get there in different ways and at different price points. You choose, we make it.
The world's first flag made of hemp textile.
55% hemp, 45% cotton, no polyester, no plastic fibres. Crafted with hemp, made for change. The premium option for brands, cities, events and everyone who wants a flag with nothing to hide.
- 55% hemp, 45% cotton, no plastic fibres
- Ethically sourced from smallholder farmers in Uttarakhand, India
- Printed double-sided with pigment inks
- Matte finish, deep colours
The polyester flag that biodegrades.
Wave goodbye to microplastics. All the performance, colour and price of the polyester flag you know, engineered to biodegrade instead of persisting for decades. CiCLO® polyester biodegraded 90 to 94% in independent ASTM lab tests, after 952 to 1,362 days.
- Polyester enhanced with CiCLO® technology
- 90%+ biodegradation in independent ASTM laboratory tests
- OEKO-TEX® ECO PASSPORT certified
- Dye-sublimation printed. How long a flag lasts depends on wind, sun and how often it flies.
Tech that mimics nature
CiCLO® works through a cutting edge, nature-mimicking process. When blended into polyester and spun into fiber, CiCLO® forms small, microbe-accessible areas throughout the strand. These sites attract naturally occurring microbes, allowing them to enzymatically break down the polymer, mineralizing it into CO₂, water, and biomass. The additive is permanent; it doesn't wash out and only activates when the fibers are released into the environment.
biodegradation in natural seawater after ~1,362 days (ASTM D6691)
in soil after ~1,171 days (ASTM D5988)
in anaerobic landfill conditions after ~1,278 days (ASTM D5511)
in wastewater-sludge tests after ~952 days (ASTM D5210)
Grown, not made
Hemptex® starts in a field, not in a factory. Hemp grows easily, needs little water and pulls CO₂ out of the air while it grows. Our hemp comes from small farming families at the foot of the Himalayas in Uttarakhand, India, a region we source from deliberately: it keeps a traditional crop alive and gives young people a reason to stay. From the field the fibre goes to the weaver. Every Hemptex® flag is then printed on both sides in the Netherlands, with pigment inks, by Hollanders Printing Solutions.
hemp. 55% hemp, 45% cotton, no polyester, no plastic fibres, from field to mast.
finished hemp flag: 55% hemp, 45% cotton.
pigment print by Hollanders Printing Solutions. Front sharp, back sharp, finish matte.
hemp flag in the world, made in 2019.
No greenwashing here
Transparency
From the U.S. technology that powers CiCLO® to the hemp farmers in Uttarakhand and the Dutch printer of every Hemptex® flag: every step in our supply chain is fully traceable.
Integrity
No greenwashing. Instead: accountability and the best existing solutions to one of the flag industry's biggest environmental challenges.
Honesty
CiCLO® flags are designed to biodegrade over time; depending on the cloth, the polyester is made from recycled PET or from new polyester. That is true impact. But let's also be real: all polyester, even when CiCLO® enhanced, is still polyester. That's why we also make the flag with no plastic fibres: Hemptex®.
Impact
With over 150 million flags sold each year in the U.S alone, the industry's footprint is massive. A polyester flag sheds microplastic fibres while it flies. Better Flags provide a responsible alternative, reducing waste and setting a new benchmark for sustainable branding.
Backing the claim
Better Flags takes a systematic, audited, and evolving approach to impact, covering certified CiCLO® supply partners, third-party testing, a fully traceable hemp supply chain, and documented production.
Built to Last
From the hemp grown in India to the finished flag, every stage of production is transparent and documented, for CiCLO® and Hemptex® alike; a custom flag shows its production route before you order.
Sustainable and Traceable
CiCLO®-enhanced polyester from licensed CiCLO® fabric makers. Hemptex® hemp ethically sourced from smallholder farmers in Uttarakhand, India.
Two Materials
CiCLO® polyester is engineered to biodegrade: CiCLO® polyester biodegraded 90 to 94% in independent ASTM lab tests, after 952 to 1,362 days. Hemptex® flags are made of natural fibres: 55% hemp, 45% cotton, no plastic fibres.
Awarded & Certified
Better Flags materials meet global standards for environmental responsibility. CiCLO® carries OEKO-TEX® ECO PASSPORT certification; Hemptex® is 55% hemp, 45% cotton, no polyester.
