OTTAWA—Canada Post has created the county’s first fabric stamp to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Canadian flag, which took place this past Sunday. 

Two stamps were issued. The first fabric stamp is printed on satin rayon fabric, is self-adhesive, and measures 100 mm by 50 mm. It’s available as a souvenir sheet or affixed to an Official First Day Cover. One thousand limited- edition uncut press sheets autographed by the flag's original seamstress, Joan O’Malley, are also available to honour the occasion.
The second stamp is a celebratory permanent rare stamp, measuring 40 mm by 32 mm, which displays the number 50 in the background and an undulating flag in the foreground.

“The flag has become part of the fabric of our lives,” Deepak Chopra, president and CEO of Canada Post said. “As these stamps travel far and wide, they will be a fitting tribute.”

Kosta Tsetsekas, a veteran stamp designer at Signals, a Vancouver-based design firm, collaborated with printer Canadian Bank Note to design the stamps. The production process required a series of tests to refine the application of the ink on the fabric and ensure the die cutting would be precise.

The Canadian flag was flown for the first time on February 15, 1965 on Parliament Hill.