A Respectful Guide to Retiring an American Flag the Right Way

Across the country,

from small-town porches to city parades, the American flag stands as one of our most familiar and meaningful national symbols. For many older Americans especially, the flag represents far more than cloth and color. It carries decades of memory—service, sacrifice, unity, and the values that have shaped generations.

because of that deep meaning, it can feel unsettling when a flag becomes worn, faded, or frayed from years of weather and sunlight. Almost everyone eventually faces the same question: What’s the proper way to retire an old American flag?

Many people instinctively feel that tossing a flag in the trash simply isn’t right, and they’re correct. For more than a century, respectful retirement has been a key part of American flag etiquette. Taking a moment to handle that task with care shows gratitude for everything the symbol has stood for.