Is it a bird, is it a plane or is it a decoration? What exactly is Bunting
Today bunting is a known as a number of pre-spaced brightly coloured triangular shaped small flags sewn on a string, used for street parties, special events and decorating car forecourts. The term Bunting derives from the material it was originally manufactured out of called buntine, which was a worsted lightweight wool fabric, used onboard Royal Navy boats. Originally not connected together by a string or rope bunting were small flags used as a form of communication between boats. The most famous message ever sent using this method was by Admiral Nelson on HMS Victory at the battle of Trafalgar and read “England expects that every man will do his duty”. The word itself comes from the Middle English term for the fabric, which was bonting, which then later changed to buntine and the eventually bunting. Historians aren’t sure how far back bunting goes but its been depicted in many painting dating back to the crusades and maybe even earlier in China.
Bunting is also a lowland farmland bird native to Europe or North America that’s usually seen in hedgerows, sat on fence posts or foraging for seeds and inserts. The Corn Bunting (Emberiza calandra) part of the Passerine bird family has just been classified as a red list species by the RSPB with only an estimated 8,000 to 12,000 remaining in the wild. The server winter of this year hasn’t helped the species with snow laying on the ground for nearly a month many bird groups have struggled to get the food they need. For more information on how to help save the Corn Bunting please visit the RSPB website. – click here
Portfolio Display has over 25 years experience in the manufacture and distribution of bunting, understanding it rich history we pride ourselves on providing the largest range in the country and specialising in personalised printed bunting.