Here Come Bold Stripes and Bright Stars

The Postal Service releases its latest stamped envelope

LINTHICUM HEIGHTS, Md., Aug. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Postal Service released its new Diagonal U.S. Flag Forever stamped envelope at the BALPEX stamp show today.

The envelope features a red-white-and-blue digital image of a detail of the U.S. flag shown at an angle. The stamped envelope has five alternating red stripes and four white stripes that run diagonally across the right side of the stamp image. At the top left, a portion of the blue field is shown with 23 white stars. The words "USA" and "FOREVER" appear at the bottom in black lettering.

The American flag has long been a popular subject on U.S. postage. The flag's design dates to 1777, when the Second Continental Congress passed the Flag Act, which specified 13 stripes and 13 white stars in a blue field to honor the 13 original Colonies. The second Flag Act, enacted in 1794, mandated that the flag be made up of 15 stars and 15 stripes following the admission of Vermont and Kentucky into the union.

Then in 1818, with 20 states now in the union, the U.S. Congress passed the third and final Flag Act, which mandated a star for every state and a return to 13 stripes. It also set the date for each new star's official addition to the flag for the July 4th following the state's admission to the union. The last time the flag was changed was in 1960, after Hawaii achieved statehood the previous August.

In recent years, stamped envelopes have been issued with or without patriotic designs. Past patriotic issuances include a 2020 graphic treatment of Old Glory surrounded by a border of gold stars, and a 2013 version showing an image of an eagle carrying two American flags and a shield.

Bryan Duefrene designed the stamp image. "I was looking for a bolder, eye-catching way of portraying the flag, and decided to focus on the elements of the Stars and Stripes rather than the flag as a whole. I experimented with different crops of the flag before finally landing on the tilted crop you see on the envelope. I think it turned out really well."

The Diagonal U.S. Flag stamped envelope is a Forever product. Its postage will always be equal to the value of the stamped envelope rate in effect at the time of use, even if the rate changes after purchase.

News of the stamped envelope is being shared with the hashtag #DiagonalFlagStampedEnvelope.

Postal Products 

Customers may purchase stamps and other philatelic products through The Postal Store at usps.com/shopstamps, by calling 844-737-7826, by mail through USA Philatelic, or at Post Office locations nationwide. For officially licensed stamp products, shop the USPS Officially Licensed Collection on Amazon. Additional information on stamps, first-day-of-issue ceremonies and stamp-inspired products can be found at stampsforever.com.

Please Note: The United States Postal Service is an independent federal establishment, mandated to be self-financing and to serve every American community through the affordable, reliable and secure delivery of mail and packages to more than 170 million addresses six and often seven days a week. Overseen by a bipartisan Board of Governors, the Postal Service is currently pursuing a transformation plan aimed at restoring long-term financial sustainability, improving service, and maintaining the organization as one of America's most valued and trusted brands.

The Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

For USPS media resources, including broadcast-quality video and audio and photo stills, visit the USPS Newsroom. Follow us on X, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Threads, and LinkedIn. Subscribe to the USPS YouTube Channel. For more information about the Postal Service, visit usps.com and facts.usps.com.

National contact: Andrea P. Wright
[email protected]
usps.com/news

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SOURCE U.S. Postal Service