(FORTUNE Magazine) – You see them everywhere, the bows and streamers that proclaim support for U.S. troops in the Mideast. Manufacturers are racing to keep pace with demand for yellow ribbon. C.M. Offray & Son, a Chester, New Jersey, company, has sold 28,409 miles of it since Saddam's August invasion of Kuwait, almost enough to go from the Statue of Liberty to Baghdad and back again five times over. Says Bill Joos, an executive VP: ''We've gone to a six-day workweek and triple shifts to keep up with demand.'' American Greetings, Hallmark Cards, and other ribbon makers also report large increases in sales. - K.B.

CHART: NOT AVAILABLE CREDIT: NO CREDIT CAPTION: 5 MILLION YARDS SOLD 8/89-2/90 50 MILLION YARDS SOLD 8/90-2/91