Why do we fold the American flag in a triangle?

The United States flag is folded into the shape of a triangle to represent a tri-cornered hat, in homage to the hats wore by colonial soldiers in the fight for independence in the Revolutionary War. When folded, the red and white stripes are wrapped in the blue to symbolize nightfall.

The shape of the folded flag is meant to remind people of the rights, privileges and freedoms enjoyed in the United States because of the sacrifice of the many soldiers who fought under George Washington and Captain John Paul Jones. The custom of folding a flag in this manner is reserved solely for the U.S. flag. When folding the flag, care is always taken to prevent the flag from touching the ground.