The Premier Difference

For over 30 years Premier Kites has focused on one thing -- making high quality fabric kites that fly great. Many consumers think making a good kite is easy, like simply molding a plastic toy or making a T-shirt. However, making a good kite is extremely difficult. A kite must be light, a kite must be durable, a kite must be able to fly in a wide wind range and a kite must look great in the air. Because kites are our passion, we understand these challenges and work with the finest materials, the best designers and the most conscientious kite factory in the world. Finally, our kites designs are thoroughly tested in different winds to the highest flight standards.

Premier's head of product development, Val never settles for anything but the best. With numerous kite building awards from the Smithsonian, local kite events and the AKA Nationals, Val has a passion for kites and was classically trained in kite building by the late Paul E. Garber of the Smithsonian Institute. 
"No other kite products in the marketplace beat the look of our appliqué kites. This "old school" kite craft of back-cut appliqué technique achieves an intensity and level of splendor unmatched by any sort of cheaper printing methods. It is a technique master kite makers around the world understand and appreciate. It is an expertise Premier has perfected and dominated in the industry for over 30 years of kite manufacturing. Most kites look good in a catalog or on the web. But when you look up at the sky, a Premier appliqué kite will broadcast its beauty far above the rest."

Susan, the head of the creative department, believes that children’s art should be open-ended and inspire a child’s imagination. She believes, as well as the rest of Premier, that our mission is to offer a huge diversity of themes for children to encourage a child’s imagination as well as a child’s sense of individuality. She has Fine Arts degree in communication art & design with a focus on illustration for children. 
"I enjoyed my childhood. I think it is in part because of a vivid imagination that I was encouraged to use. Perhaps I haven't quite outgrown that part of my childhood. Some of my designs feel like they've come straight from my childhood imagination. All of the designs, whether by me or one of the many talented people we have or have had in the art department, reflects what we like best about childhood."

What Makes Premier Kites Special?

Kites are very special toys -- they have to fly! But getting anything to fly is hard. Let's face it, it took mankind several thousand years to achieve many of the common stable flying kites we enjoy today. Kites must be made very lightweight, yet very strong. They must be crafted very carefully with the highest attention to symmetry and accuracy. Because kites are our passion, we work only with the finest materials and the best designs. In addition, for over 33 years Premier has worked with the same quality conscious kite factory to provide our customers kites that are easy to fly, stable, and look beautiful in the sky!

What Is The Benefit Of An Appliqué Kite?

Appliqué kites are slightly different than what people typically understand about the appliqué process. The term appliqué comes from the French word for apply. Quilters use the appliqué technique often, or you might appliqué a patch onto your favorite blue jeans. However our kites are "back cut appliqué".  

What About Printed Kites?

Are printed kites so bad? Heck no! With recent improvements to the sublimation printing process, Premier feels confident offering printed kites. This allows for the opportunity for great detail, like the puff of smoke from a dragon's nose. The key to a quality printed kite is the use of color and to offering detail. Besides our graphics department is quite gifted with the color. Through the skill and expertise, they use contrasting colors to deliver stunning results.

Why Do Premier's Kites Look So Great in the Sky?

A well designed kite, no matter how it is made, should look good with the sun shining on it or with the sun shining from behind it. When the sun shines from behind a kite, we kite enthusiasts say that the kite is“back lit”.Some people also call this a “stained glass effect”.

Premier is the number one back-light kite specialist in the world.We understand that the most inspiring beauty for any kite is its ability to use the sun’s rays to shine through the fabric and brilliantly illuminate art in a way unique to any other form of toy or flying object.

Whether designing stained glass or an appliqué kite, one has to understand the materials to create great art.Our factory goes through numerous steps for each appliqué design; each color panel on the design is carefully sewn together and then painstakingly back-cut and trimmed on the rear of the kite.The final product results in a single-surface tapestry of color that the sun and sky can beautifully illuminate from behind.

The “old school” kite craft of back-cut appliqué technique achieves an intensity and level of splendor unmatched by any other method.It is a technique master kite makers around the world understand and appreciate.It is an expertise Premier has perfected and dominated in the industry for over 30 years of kite manufacturing.

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