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Custom Bunting Flag Shapes: A Guide to Event Branding Solutions
Guide · Custom Bunting · Custom Shapes
Shape is the first thing people notice about a run of bunting, long before the colour or the logo. Sharp triangular pennants read as energy and celebration. Soft scalloped flags read as something gentler. Get the shape right and your bunting is working before anyone is close enough to read it.
Focus Banners prints custom bunting in six standard flag shapes, plus any custom die-cut you can draw. Here is what each one looks like and the kind of event it suits.
Bunting Flag Shapes at a Glance
| Shape | The Impression It Gives | Best Suited To |
|---|---|---|
| Triangular Pennant | Festive, High-Energy, Classic | Festivals, Sporting Events, Retail Sales |
| Rectangle / Square | Clean, Corporate, Maximum Logo Space | Expos, Trade Shows, Corporate Branding |
| Swallowtail (Forked) | Premium, Dynamic, Heritage | Product Launches, Hospitality, Activations |
| U-Shape (Scallop) | Soft, Traditional, Decorative | Markets, Community Events, Boutique Retail |
| Chevron | Directional, Modern, Bold | Wayfinding, Sport, Contemporary Brands |
| Rounded | Friendly, Approachable, Safe | Schools, Council Events, Family Days |
The 6 Standard Bunting Shapes
Here are the six standard bunting flag shapes Focus Banners prints, what each one looks like, and where it works best.
Triangular Pennant
The triangle is the shape everyone pictures first. Its downward point creates a repeating rhythm that reads as movement and celebration, even on a still day.
- Best for: Festivals, sporting sidelines and retail sale runs where you want energy over a long stretch.
- Branding: Bold and simple, since the print area narrows to the point. A logo, a colour block, or a short word like SALE.
- Tip: Alternate two brand colours down the line to read from across a carpark.
Rectangle and Square Flags
When the logo is the priority, rectangles and squares win. They give the largest, most usable print area of any standard shape, with no taper cropping your artwork.
- Best for: Expos, trade shows, conferences and corporate activations where the brand has to read precisely.
- Square: Contained and modern.
- Rectangle: room for a horizontal logo or a row of sponsor marks.
- Tone: Flatter and more formal than a pennant.
Swallowtail (Forked)
The swallowtail is a flag with a V cut into the tail, and it is the shape that looks the most considered. The forked tail catches the breeze and flutters more than a closed shape.
- Best for: Product launches, hospitality venues and branded activations that need to feel a cut above party bunting.
- Look: Premium, dynamic, slightly nautical.
- Tip: Pair with a restrained colour palette so it reads polished, not busy.
Triangular Pennant Bunting Flags
Round the bottom into a soft curve and you get the scallop, the gentlest, most traditional shape in the range. Where the pennant shouts, the scallop charms.
- Best for: Markets, community fairs, weddings and boutique retail that want to feel personal, not corporate.
- Look: Vintage, hand-made warmth.
- Branding: A friendly frame for soft graphics, script type or pastel palettes.
Chevron
The chevron is a directional arrow turned into a flag: clean angles, a modern silhouette and a built-in sense of forward motion.
- Best for: Newer brands, sporting events and settings that should feel current rather than nostalgic.
- Bonus: The angled geometry pairs naturally with wayfinding, pointing a crowd toward an entrance or stage.
Rounded
Rounded flags have full curves with no points or forks, which makes them the friendliest, safest shape in the range.
- Best for: schools, council events and family days, or any young, community-minded audience.
- Look: approachable and welcoming.
- Branding: the most forgiving shape for busy or illustrative artwork.
Custom Die-Cut Shapes: Beyond The Standard Six
The six standard shapes are the starting point, not the limit. Because every run is cut to order, you can print bunting in almost any shape you can draw.
Custom Dies To Your Artwork
Logo silhouettes, brand icons or seasonal motifs.
Full Colour, Any Length
Full-colour CMYK printing, runs up to 500 metres.
Built To Last
Double-stitched into heavy-duty header tape, made locally.
This is where bunting stops being a generic decoration and becomes part of the brand system. If you have a shape in mind that is not on the standard list, that is the core of the service, not an exception. Send us the artwork and we will cut a custom die and send a free mockup before anything goes to print.
How to choose a bunting shape for your event
Shape is a branding decision before it is a practical one, so start with the impression you want to leave:
Match the shape to the personality of the event and the brand, and you will rarely go wrong. The other two decisions, which material and what size each flag should be, come next, and they depend on where the bunting hangs and how far the crowd stands.
From Shape To
Finished Bunting
Shape is one of three choices that make a run of bunting work. Once you have picked the silhouette, two decisions follow: the material it is printed on (durable PVC for outdoors, polyester for a natural indoor drape, or synthetic paper on a budget) and the size and spacing of each flag for the distance it needs to read from. Our bunting material and sizing guide covers those two, and the custom printed bunting page lets you spec the whole run, then get a free mockup before you commit.
Bunting Flag Shapes - FAQs
The triangular pennant is by far the most common. Its repeating downward point reads as movement and celebration, and it suits long outdoor runs at festivals, sporting events and retail sales. It is the shape most people picture when they think of bunting.
Swallowtail bunting is a flag shape with a V cut into the tail, like a forked pennant. The split tail catches the breeze and flutters more than a closed shape, giving the run a premium, slightly nautical look. It suits product launches, hospitality and branded activations.
Yes. Beyond the six standard shapes, Focus Banners cuts custom dies to your own artwork, including logo silhouettes, brand icons or seasonal motifs, with full-colour custom printing. Send the artwork and we will produce a free mockup before printing.
Triangular pennants are the usual choice for outdoor festivals. They read clearly from a distance, carry a festive feel, and work well over long runs of fencing. For the right material to pair with the shape, see our material guide, where double-sided PVC is the outdoor workhorse.
A pennant is a triangle with a downward point and reads as energetic and festive. A scallop, or U-shape, has a soft rounded base and reads as gentle and traditional. Pennants suit sport and festivals; scallops suit markets, weddings and community events.
Get Your Free Bunting Flag Quote
Tell us your event date, size, and branding, we’ll come back with options and pricing within 24 hours.
Send a photo — we’ll sort it out.
Ready To Design Your Bunting?
Pick a shape, or bring us your own, and we will show you exactly how it will look. Get a free mockup of your custom printed bunting in any shape, printed in full colour to your artwork.
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