Why We Wear the Poppy
At R.Riveter remembrance has always been woven into our mission.
As we approach America’s 250th anniversary, we are reminded that the story of this country has never been written without sacrifice. For 250 years, generations of servicemen, women, and military families have carried the weight of protecting the freedoms we often hold close but quietly. National Poppy Day offers a moment to pause and honor those who gave everything in service to our Nation.
Observed each year on the Friday before Memorial Day, National Poppy Day is rooted in one of the most enduring symbols of remembrance: the red poppy.
Its meaning traces back to World War I and the words of Canadian Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, whose poem In Flanders Fields captured the heartbreaking beauty of poppies growing across the battlefields where soldiers had fallen. More than a century later, his words still serve as a powerful reminder of the cost of freedom and the responsibility of remembrance.
In Flanders Fields
In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
In 2026, those words feel especially meaningful.
As our country reflects on 250 years of independence, we also reflect on the people who carried this Nation forward through war, hardship, service, and sacrifice. The poppy remains more than a flower. It is a symbol of memory, resilience, and the promise that those who served will never be forgotten.
Why We Wear the Poppy
After World War I, the red poppy became a national symbol of remembrance across Allied nations, honoring those who never returned home. For generations, Americans have worn the poppy as a visible act of gratitude, a promise that the sacrifices of the fallen will never be forgotten.
As we approach America’s 250th anniversary, that tradition carries even deeper meaning. It reminds us that freedom has always come at a cost, carried by generations willing to serve something greater than themselves.
That spirit continues to inspire everything we create a R.Riveter
Our Poppy Collection honors the military community and the generations of women and families who continue to serve behind the scenes. Each piece represents remembrance carried forward, honoring the past while supporting military spouses and families building lives through purpose and opportunity today.
This National Poppy Day, we invite you to wear the poppy in remembrance of the fallen, reflect on the freedoms secured through sacrifice, and carry their stories into the next chapter of America’s history.
As we look toward America 250, may we continue to hold the torch high.
