Once upon a time I laundered every piece of fabric before I put it away. No matter what I paid for it, it raveled and all those loose threads drove me wild. So, I started putting the fabric away as soon as I got home and never had any trouble at all, no matter what I paid for it or where I got it.
I made a quilt for wounded soldiers two or three years ago and the requirement was that the finished quilt had to be laundered.
No problem with the red, white and blue fabric.
Do whatever you feel comfortable with and have time for. froggyintexas