Flag Fabric Guide: How Single & Double-Sided Flags Are Printed

Five common fabric constructions — what the back of your flag looks like, whether light shines through, and which one we use for each product.

What Decides the Look of the Back of a Flag?

When you order a custom flag, the printed artwork is only half the story. How the fabric is constructed — how many layers it has, which sides are printed, and whether a light-blocking layer is built in — determines what the reverse side looks like and whether the flag reads correctly from behind. There are five common constructions, labelled A to E below. In the diagrams, the front is always shown on the left and the actual reverse side on the right.

At a glance

  • A single-sided flag is printed through the fabric, so the back is a mirror image at 80–90% strength (older Type A) or full colour (Type B — what we use).
  • A double-sided flag needs a light-blocking layer: three fabric layers (Type C, discontinued), a blockout coating on two layers (Type D), or a blockout core inside one layer (Type E).
  • Types D and E let the back read correctly — this is how we make our teardrop, feather and block banners (D) and our double-sided custom flags and fabric banners (E).

Last updated: 18 September 2026.

The Five Flag Fabric Constructions, A–E

Type A flag diagram: 1-layer single-sided printFront of the flag reads CUSTOM FLAG; the back is a faded mirror image showing 80 to 90 percent of the front colour through the thin fabric.CUSTOMFLAGLOGO / TEXT / PHOTOFrontCUSTOMFLAGLOGO / TEXT / PHOTOBack
Type A layer stack: A single layer of fabric printed on the front only. Printed fabric (one side)

A. 1-Layer, Single-Sided Print No longer offered

  • Construction: a single layer of fabric, printed on the front only.
  • Reverse side: a mirror image of the front — text and logos read backwards.
  • Colour: the reverse shows roughly 80–90% of the front colour, because the ink shows through from the other side. The thicker the fabric, the lighter the reverse colour appears.
  • Fabric feel: thin and lightweight.
  • Status: we no longer use this construction — every flag we make today is printed on both sides (Type B below), so the reverse always shows the full colour.
Type B flag diagram: 1-layer double-sided printFront of the flag reads CUSTOM FLAG; the back is a mirror image with the same bright colours, printed on both sides of one fabric layer.CUSTOMFLAGLOGO / TEXT / PHOTOFrontCUSTOMFLAGLOGO / TEXT / PHOTOBack
Type B layer stack: A single layer of fabric printed on both sides. Printed fabric (both sides)

B. 1-Layer, Double-Sided Print

  • Construction: a single layer of fabric, printed on both sides.
  • Reverse side: still a mirror image of the front.
  • Colour: front and back colours match — no colour difference.
  • Fabric feel: thicker and more substantial than A, because both sides carry ink.
  • Where we use it: this is how we produce our single-sided custom flags and custom street flags.
Flag diagram: double-sided print, correct-reading backFront and back of the flag both read CUSTOM FLAG correctly; a light-blocking layer stops the design showing through. The bottom-right corner is cut away to show the internal light-blocking layers.CUSTOMFLAGLOGO / TEXT / PHOTOFrontCUSTOMFLAGLOGO / TEXT / PHOTOBack · black-out middle layer
Type C layer stack: Three layers: printed fabric, black-out middle layer, printed fabric. Printed fabric — front Black-out middle layer Printed fabric — back

C. 3-Layer, Double-Sided Print No longer offered

  • Construction: three fabric layers — a printed front layer, a black-out middle layer, and a printed back layer.
  • Reverse side: can be printed correct-reading (not mirrored), and can even carry a completely different design from the front.
  • Light: the black-out core blocks light completely — nothing shows through.
  • Status: we no longer use this construction. Because the fabric budget is split across three layers, each layer has to be thinner, which makes the finished flag more prone to damage than the two-layer (D) or single-layer (E) builds we use today.
Flag diagram: double-sided print, correct-reading backFront and back of the flag both read CUSTOM FLAG correctly; a light-blocking layer stops the design showing through. The bottom-right corner is cut away to show the internal light-blocking layers.CUSTOMFLAGLOGO / TEXT / PHOTOFrontCUSTOMFLAGLOGO / TEXT / PHOTOBack · blockout coating on each layer
Type D layer stack: Two printed fabric layers, each with a blockout coating on its reverse. Printed fabric + blockout coating on reverse Printed fabric + blockout coating on reverse

D. 2-Layer, Double-Sided Print with Blockout Coating

  • Construction: two printed fabric layers; the reverse side of each layer carries a blockout coating.
  • Reverse side: can be printed correct-reading (not mirrored).
  • Light: the coatings block light completely without needing a separate middle layer.
  • Fabric feel: softer and lighter than the 3-layer build, while keeping full opacity.
  • Where we use it: this is today's mainstream for double-sided flags — our teardrop banners, feather banners and block banners are all made this way.
Flag diagram: double-sided print, correct-reading backFront and back of the flag both read CUSTOM FLAG correctly; a light-blocking layer stops the design showing through. The bottom-right corner is cut away to show the internal light-blocking layers.CUSTOMFLAGLOGO / TEXT / PHOTOFrontCUSTOMFLAGLOGO / TEXT / PHOTOBack · black-out core laminated inside
Type E layer stack: A single fabric layer with a black-out core laminated inside. Single fabric with black-out core laminated inside

E. 1-Layer, Double-Sided Print with Blockout Core

  • Construction: a single layer of fabric with a black-out membrane laminated in the middle.
  • Reverse side: printed correct-reading (not mirrored) — despite being a single layer.
  • Light: the built-in core blocks light completely.
  • Fabric feel: the lightest and most supple of the fully opaque constructions.
  • Where we use it: the newest process — our double-sided custom flags (choose the double-sided option when ordering) and double-sided fabric banners are made this way.

Quick Comparison: Single-Sided vs Double-Sided Flag Fabric

Type Layers Printed Reverse side Colour match Light blocking
A1Front onlyMirrored80–90% of frontSee-through
B1Both sidesMirroredIdenticalSee-through
C3 + coreBoth sidesCorrect readingIdenticalFull blockout
D2 + coatingBoth sidesCorrect readingIdenticalFull blockout
E1 + coreBoth sidesCorrect readingIdenticalFull blockout

Which Construction Do We Use?

  • Single-sided custom flags: Type B — same bright colour on both sides, with a mirrored back.
  • Teardrop, feather and block banners: Type D — correct-reading reverse with full blockout.
  • Double-sided custom flags and double-sided fabric banners: Type E — correct-reading reverse, full blockout, in a lighter single-layer fabric.
  • No longer offered: Type A (all single-sided flags moved to B) and Type C (all double-sided work moved to D or E).

Flag Fabric FAQs

Will my custom flag read correctly from the back?

It depends on how the flag fabric is printed. One-layer single-sided print (Type A) and one-layer double-sided print (Type B) show a mirrored image on the back. Constructions with a light-blocking layer — 3-layer (C), 2-layer with blockout coating (D) and 1-layer with blockout core (E) — can be printed so the back reads correctly.

Why does the back of my flag look faded?

On a single-sided printed flag the ink shows through from the other side, so the reverse shows roughly 80–90% of the front colour. The thicker the fabric, the lighter the reverse appears. We no longer use this construction: all our single-sided custom flags are printed on both sides (Type B), so the reverse shows the full colour.

What is blockout flag fabric?

Blockout fabric stops light passing through a flag. It is made either as three fabric layers with a black-out middle layer, as two printed layers with a blockout coating on the reverse of each, or as a single layer of fabric with a black-out core laminated inside. All three constructions allow the back of the flag to be printed correct-reading.

Which flag construction does Flagaholic use?

Single-sided custom flags use Type B: one layer printed on both sides, same bright colour on both sides with a mirrored back. Teardrop, feather and block banners use Type D: two printed layers with blockout coating. Double-sided custom flags and double-sided fabric banners use Type E: a single layer of fabric with a black-out core laminated inside.

Can the back of a double-sided flag have a different design?

Yes. Constructions with a light-blocking layer (Types C, D and E) can carry a completely different design on the back, printed correct-reading. With Type D and Type E the back can also simply repeat the front artwork.

Not sure which option suits your event? Check the product pages above for pricing, or contact our team — we are happy to advise before you upload artwork. For colour accuracy on any of these constructions, also see our CMYK vs RGB guide.