What makes a balloon?
A balloon is a flexible bag filled with a gas, perhaps helium, hydrogen, nitrous oxide or air. The first balloons were made using dried animal bladders. Modern balloons are now made using materials such as rubber, latex, poly chloroprene or a nylon fabric. Balloons can be merely decorative, while others are used for specific purposes such as meteorology, medical treatment, military defence, or transportation. A balloon's properties, including its low density and relatively low cost, have led to a wide range of applications
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The word balloon actually derives from the French word balloon, meaning large ball. This was in turn probably from the latin ballone, but another possible source for it was balla, meaning ball, from Old High German. Other related words include the Middle English bal, which was probably from the Old English beall, both meaning ball. Another source may have been from the French word balle, meaning "ball. Originally balloons were made from animal bladders - In the "olden days", especially in the European regions, jesters were said to sometimes inflate the entrails of recently butchered animals and "entertain" with them. The bladders, intestines, and sometimes the stomach, were strong enough that, despite their thinness, they could be manipulated into amusing shapes.
About Latex Balloons
Latex balloons are 100% biodegradable - Latex balloons are manufactured from natural rubber; the white sap is extracted from the Haevae Brasilienis tree and collected in liquid form, which is then referred to as latex.
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UK Partyshop ( our sister company) supplies latex balloons for you. Party balloons - pearlised and metallic latex balloons
Great latex balloons for decking out your party - available in a great choice of different colours and shapes and sizes
Click here to view the latex balloons |
Latex is collected without harming the tree by using environmentally safe, age-old process similar to that used for collecting the sap from maple trees for syrup. The tropical rain forest trees are very valuable, highly coveted, and a well-protected natural resource. These precious trees play an equally valuable ecological role in the earth’s fragile ecological balance by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere which helps prevent global warming. As rubber is extremely versatile in it’s use, there is a great demand in modern living.
Latex balloons are made with 100% natural rubber enabling the balloons to biodegrade completely. The degradation process begins immediately the balloons are inflated and this is accelerated once the balloons is exposed to light. The first signs of the process is visible after one hour when the balloon takes on an opaque or milky look, known as oxidation. The length of the degradation process depends on the exposure to UV light, but according to scientific research the length of this process is approximate the same as a leaf from an oak tree under similar environmental conditions.
Foil Balloons
Beginning in the late 1970s, some more expensive (and longer-lasting) foil balloons have been made of thin, un stretchable, less permeable metalized plastic films. These balloons have attractive shiny reflective surfaces and are often printed with colour pictures and patterns for gifts and parties. The most important attribute of metalized nylon for balloons is its light weight, increasing buoyancy and its ability to keep the helium gas from escaping for several weeks.
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UK Partyshop & Party Supplies UK ( our sister companies) have hundreds of foil balloons for you to choose from. Foil star shaped - foil round shaped balloons - foil numbers balloons.
Great foil balloons for decorating your party. Great party decor to add to the special effects for your special event.
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Balloon Releases
Released balloons can land almost anywhere and balloons released from balloon nets are becoming very popular and can be a great way to raise monies - great as fund raising events as well as spectacular at special events and for celebrations.
Released balloons
Once the balloon releases have been started they will have enough "oomph" to rise 5 miles up in the atmosphere to burst, thus fluttering down to earth. At release time you will get the visual effect you are looking for... pretty balloons rising into the sky.
Balloon Releases for Charity - Balloon Races for Fundraising
Many balloon releases and balloon races are actually carried out for charity in Britain today. We know that some argue that balloon releases are not good for the environment - however we can tell you that if organized properly and with care using biodegradable balloons etc you will have a good day and perhaps also raise many funds for the chosen charity. Charities are benefiting greatly from balloon races and releases.
Party balloons are mostly made of natural latex tapped from rubber trees and can be filled with air, helium, water, or any other suitable liquid or gas. The rubber's elasticity makes the volume adjustable. Most of this rubber is made from recycled material, such as old tires and tennis shoes. Filling the balloons with air is easy nowadays usually done with either a manual or electric inflator (such as a hand pump), or with a source of compressed gas - such as helium cylinders.
The First Balloon
The first balloon was invented by Brazilian-born Portuguese priest, Bartolomeu de Gusmão, and the first public exhibition was to the Portuguese Court on August 8, 1709, in the hall of the Casa da India in Lisbon. The rubber balloon was invented by Michael Faraday in 1824; it was inflated with hydrogen and used in his experiments with that element. The more familiar latex balloons of today were first manufactured in London, 1847, but mass production did not occur until the 1930s. In 1931, balloon technology leaped ahead when, according to an industry catalog, "Neil Tillotson dipped the first modern latex balloon made from the sap of a rubber tree."
Printed Balloons
Advertising balloons are printed whilst inflated which results in denser ink coverage, brighter colours and a more accurate colour match. Balloons4fun.co.uk - our sister company are the leaders in balloon printing for the best results come to the professionals All balloons used are made from natural latex and are therefore completely biodegradable.
With over 49 specialist coloured balloons for you to chose from BalloonsFun have a great choice of balloons. View the colour chart -or ask to have ink pantone colours matched to your specific requirements. Balloons4Fun will ensure that the balloons you receive are the balloons that are going to do the job of advertising for you. Why go elsewhere when the Professionals are here for you.
For those perfect balloons at very competitive prices with quick turnaround just contact Balloons 4 fun on 0845 166 2683 or e-mail sales@balloons4fun.co.uk. 10”, 11” and 12” and also heart shaped latex balloons can be printed on as well as on foil balloons both round and star shaped. Advertising balloons can make all the difference to sales and promotional campaigns and to your business strategy. All the printed balloons are printed to the highest quality by professional printers with many years experience.
Printed Balloons
Over the years balloon printing techniques have changed tremendously and improved and you can find a wide range of Printed Balloons available at our sister company UK Partyshop
UK Partyshop are continuously keeping up with all the latest technology and moving with the times to maintain their position as No 1 in the trade.. Today all the custom printed balloons are screen printed to guarantee a perfect result.
Latex balloons come in 10”, 11” and 12”. and they also print on balloons from the 10” t0 the 12”. The balloons are available in Standard, Pearlised or Metallic finishes.UK Partyshop can print on 1 or 2 sides using a total of 4 colours. Let Balloons 4 fun satisfy your requirements with high quality printed balloons with your text or logos producing for you that perfect printed balloon that will be printed your requirements .- perfectly matching your artwork and accurately reproducing your logo or image. Printing on balloons really has come a long way in recent years and we are confident you will not find finer printed balloons anywhere
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UK Partyshop & Party Supplies UK (our sister companies) have a wide range of printed balloons for you to choose from. Have photos printed on them - or logos - or special messages
Printed balloons have become a very popular way of celebrating a special occasion - a birthday - christening - anniversary.etc
Click here to view printed balloons
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Balloon Printing Techniques
Over the years balloon printing techniques have changed tremendously and improved and we are continuously keeping up with all the latest technology and moving with the times to maintain our position as No 1 in the trade. Today all of our custom printed balloons are screen printed to guarantee a perfect result
We print both latex and foil balloons thereby ensuring that we can always produce exactly what are clients are seeking from Blue Chip companies to the smallest party. Printed Balloons always add that special touch for what ever occasion they are being used for be it a 50, 000 Release or a Church Hall
Balloons Retain Buoyancy
When rubber balloons are filled with helium so that they float, they typically retain their buoyancy for only a day or so. The enclosed helium atoms escape through small pores in the latex which are larger than the helium atoms. Balloons filled with air usually hold their size and shape much longer.
Even a perfect rubber balloon eventually loses the gas to the outside. The process by which a substance or solute migrates from a region of high concentration, through a barrier or membrane, to a region of lower concentration is called diffusion. The inside of balloons can be treated with a special gel (for instance, the polymer solution sold under the "Hi Float" brand) which coats the inside of the balloon to reduce the helium leakage, thus increasing float time to a week or longer.
Balloon Rockets
At parties now balloons are released creating so a balloon rocket or rocket balloon. Rocket balloons work because the elastic balloons contract on the air within them, and so when the mouth of the balloon is left open, the gas within the balloon shoots out, and, due to Newton's third law of motion, the balloon is propelled forward. This is fundamentally the same way that a rocket works.
Rocket Punch and Modeling Balloons - Balloon modeling - Balloon - Balloon Table & Party Decorations
Balloon artists are entertainers who twist and tie inflated tubular balloons into sculptures. The balloons used for balloon sculpture are made of extra-stretchy rubber so that they can be twisted and tied without bursting. Since the pressure required to inflate a balloon is inversely proportional to the diameter of the balloon, these tiny tubular balloons are extremely hard to inflate initially. A balloon pump is usually used to inflate these balloons.
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UK Partyshop & Party Supplies UK - our sister companies have hundreds of rocket - punch and modeling balloons for you to choose from.
These balloons are great party fun - become a balloon artist - learn the art of making great shapes from balloons or just enjoy the punch balloons.
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Balloon Decorators
Balloon decorators use hundreds of helium balloons to create balloon sculptures. The make balloon arches and walls and even great balloon sculptures can now be created. It is also common to use balloons as tables decorations for celebratory events. Table decorations can be made with a bouquet of balloons - ribbon is curled and added with a balloon weight to keep the balloons from floating away
Balloon Accessories
As balloons have become more popular - so too have those added extras - the balloon accessories - balloon nets, curling ribbons, cup & sticks, valves, balloon pumps and party poppers. Party balloons - party streamers and party decorations are now a must for a special celebration - occasion - or fund raising event.
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UK Partyshop & Party Supplies UK - our sister companies have a wide range of balloon accessories to choose from.
Balloon Accessories - Balloon hand pumps, party poppers, party hats and streamers, curling ribbon,shimmer curtains and balloon nets - foil round shaped balloons - foil numbers balloons.
Click here to view the balloon accessories |
Balloon Weights
Of course modern party decorations - and party balloons will need weighting down. There are now available a whole host of different types of balloon weights.
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UK Partyshop & Party Supplies UK - our sister company have a wide range of balloon weights for you to choose from.
Balloon Weights are the extra accessory that you just have to have!
Click here to view the balloon weights
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