Sabot Cat flag (Industrial Workers of the World - IWW)
📐 Custom Personalized Flag made with Flagmaker & Print. Learn more about our product line-up on the Product Details page. This custom flag design is available as both a one-sided wall flag, or a double-sided display flag
🎌 All our personalized flags are available in multiple sizes and finishing options . If you have special requests, don't hesitate to reach out to us!
✒️ The Sabot Cat flag, also recognized as the Sabo-Tabby or the IWW Black Cat, is a prominent symbol within the labor movement, specifically associated with the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). Visually, the flag features a field bisected diagonally from the bottom left to the top right, displaying the traditional red and black colors of anarcho-syndicalism—where red represents the social labor movement and black represents anarchism. Centered on the flag is a white roundel containing the silhouette of a hissing black cat with an arched back, a pose indicative of defense and aggression. Historically, this icon was created by Ralph Chaplin, a prominent "Wobbly" (IWW member) and illustrator, in the early 20th century. The symbol is deeply rooted in the concept of direct action and sabotage (derived from the French word sabot, referring to workers throwing wooden shoes into machinery to stop production). The cat was originally used to symbolize "wildcat" strikes and served as a superstitious warning that bad luck would befall employers who mistreated workers. Over the last century, the Sabot Cat has endured as a global emblem of radical unionism, workers' rights, and resistance against industrial exploitation.
Original: $13.90
-70%$13.90
$4.17
Description
📐 Custom Personalized Flag made with Flagmaker & Print. Learn more about our product line-up on the Product Details page. This custom flag design is available as both a one-sided wall flag, or a double-sided display flag
🎌 All our personalized flags are available in multiple sizes and finishing options . If you have special requests, don't hesitate to reach out to us!
✒️ The Sabot Cat flag, also recognized as the Sabo-Tabby or the IWW Black Cat, is a prominent symbol within the labor movement, specifically associated with the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). Visually, the flag features a field bisected diagonally from the bottom left to the top right, displaying the traditional red and black colors of anarcho-syndicalism—where red represents the social labor movement and black represents anarchism. Centered on the flag is a white roundel containing the silhouette of a hissing black cat with an arched back, a pose indicative of defense and aggression. Historically, this icon was created by Ralph Chaplin, a prominent "Wobbly" (IWW member) and illustrator, in the early 20th century. The symbol is deeply rooted in the concept of direct action and sabotage (derived from the French word sabot, referring to workers throwing wooden shoes into machinery to stop production). The cat was originally used to symbolize "wildcat" strikes and served as a superstitious warning that bad luck would befall employers who mistreated workers. Over the last century, the Sabot Cat has endured as a global emblem of radical unionism, workers' rights, and resistance against industrial exploitation.
