I have tried using a variety of materials and for a while used heavy lead foil from the top of finer wine bottles - a good excuse, if I needed it, to drink good wine. However, the fact that the foil remained flexible resulted in damage over time. I have now gone back to my original method of using paper. I cut the flag to size and ,after painting, I glue the two sides of the flag around the staff using white glue. While the glue is still wet, the flag can be put into shape by rolling it around a round toothpick. when the glue dries the flag will remain in shape.