Balloon modelling

A balloon artist in Vienna, Austria

Balloon modelling or balloon twisting is the shaping of special modelling balloons into almost any given shape, often a balloon animal. People who create balloon animals and other twisted balloon sculptures are called Twisters. Twisters often work as busker, clowns, or restaurant entertainers.

A variety of single balloon animals, (bears)

A multiple balloon sculpture, created by Waukesha, Wisconsin artist for use as a display

Two of the primary design styles are single balloon modelling, which restricts itself to the use of one balloon per model, and multiple balloon modelling, which uses more than one balloon. Each style has its own set of challenges and skills, but few twisters who have reached an intermediate or advanced skill level limit themselves to one style or another. Depending on the needs of the moment, they might easily move between the one-balloon or multiple approaches, or they might even incorporate additional techniques such as "weaving" and "stuffing". Modelling techniques have evolved to include a range of very complex moves, and a highly specialized vocabulary has emerged to describe the techniques involved and their resulting creations.
Some twisters inflate their balloons with their own lungs, and for many years this was a standard and necessary part of the act. However, many now use a pump of some sort, whether it is a hand pump, an electric pump plugged in or run by a battery pack, or a compressed gas tank containing air or nitrogen. Twisters do not generally fill their creations with helium, as these designs will not usually float anyway. The balloons for twisting are too porous for helium and the designs are generally too heavy for their size for helium to lift.

Contents [hide] 1 Origins of balloon modelling 2 Equipment 3 Simple techniques 4 Blowing up a "260" by mouth 5 Techniques 5.1 Inflation 5.2 Pinch-and-twist 5.3 Locking twist 5.4 Fold twist, ear twist, pinch twist, or bean twist 5.5 Bird body or three bubble roll-through 5.6 Apple twist, tulip twist, or hook twist 5.7 Poodle tail 5.8 Pop twist 6 Common models 6.1 Single balloon 6.2 Multiple balloon 7 References 8 External links

Origins of balloon modelling

The origins of balloon modelling are unknown. The 1975 book by "Jolly the Clown" Petri credits "Herman Bonnert from Pennsylvania at a magician's convention in 1939" as being the first balloontwister.^[1] Val Andrews, in Manual of Balloon Modeling, Vol. 1, An Encyclopedic Series, credits H.J. Bonnert of Scranton, Pennsylvania as being the "daddy of them all."^[2] Jim Church III states, "Frank Zacone from Youngstown, Ohio was doing a balloon act during the 1940s and had been doing the act for some time."^[2] Recently ESPN's three time Emmy Award director Joseph Maar has been providing information and materials to balloon history sites that supports his father Henry Maar as the first balloon twister.^[3] It is possible that one, none, or all of the above independently crafted the art of balloon twisting.

Equipment

A balloon modeller's toolkit contains hundreds of colorful balloons in various sizes and hues.

There are two essential items required for balloon twisting:

• First, you need an assortment of balloons, usually in various colors. Balloon sizes are usually identified by a number: the most common size of twisting balloons is called a "260", as it is approximately two inches in diameter and 60 inches in length. Thus, a "260" is 2x60 inches and a "160" is 1x60 inches when fully blown up. Although these are the most common sizes used, there are dozens of other shapes available as well. The most popular balloon brand among professional twisters is Qualatex, manufactured by the Pioneer Balloon Company, but there are many other brands available. Betallic has made strong inroads into the industry by greatly expanding their line of available shapes and colors. Today there is a wide variety of individual sizes and colors to choose from.
• Second, you'll need something to inflate the balloons with. The most common methods are air pumps similar to bicycle pumps, electric air compressors, and via the mouth. Inflating a balloon via the mouth is difficult and can be dangerous. Particularly well-trained and talented twisters, however, can blow-up several balloons at once, and some can even blow up 160s, which are much more difficult to mouth-inflate than the more common 260s, as their narrowness requires a great deal more strength and breath pressure to inflate.

Air pumps and air compressors have only recently been accepted in the twisting community. Fifteen years ago, most balloon twisters blew up balloons with their mouths, and the use of a pump was associated by many as unprofessional. Today, most twisters use some sort of mechanical means to inflate their balloons. There are various reasons for this:

• Most twisters are physically incapable of mouth-inflating hundreds of balloons over an extended period.
• There are possible health risks to the twister associated with blowing up balloons by mouth. The pressure involved in the activity can cause the twister to become lightheaded or even pass out. A balloon that is popped while blowing up can snap back and damage the eyes. In rare cases, the pressure can damage the ears, eye or the muscles around the throat.
• There are also hygienic issues involved: many twisters and parents are uncomfortable handing a child something that has been in the twister's (or anyone's) mouth. Some believe that when a blown-up balloon pops, the germs of the twister are spread further and faster than they normally would be.
• Finally, many twisters prefer to avoid being a bad role model by putting a balloon in their mouths around children. Balloons do pose a choking hazard for small children, and are usually marked with hazard warning labels for children under the age of eight. (Note, older balloon twisters often use their mouths for other purposes such as creating small balls or deliberately popping sections of the balloon. Children frequently mimicked this posing a choking hazard.)

Simple techniques

As the twister inflates each balloon, he or she may leave some of the balloon uninflated at the end, leaving a "tail". The tail is necessary for most creations because it gives the pressurized air someplace to go while manipulating the balloon, reducing the chance of the balloon popping due to necessary pressure during the twisting process. The length of the tail is different for each creation, and knowing how much to leave becomes part of learning or creating the design.
The first animal most people learn how to create is the basic weiner dog.

• • Inflate and tie a 260 in the color of your choice, leaving about 4-5 inches of the balloon uninflated.
  • Twist 1: Starting at the nozzle (tied-off) end of the balloon, create the snout by moving the hand up about 4 inches from the knot, pinching the balloon to create a closed-off "bubble", then twist at that point 2-3 times. (Do not let go of the balloon, or it will come untwisted.)
  • Twist 2: While holding onto the snout, move up the balloon another two inches, then pinch and twist as before to create another bubble. Don't let go.
  • Twist 3: Create a third bubble the same size as the second, forming the two ears. Don't let go.
  • Folding the balloon between the two ear bubbles so that the ears are lying side by side, twist 1 and 3 together 2-3 times: this forms a "lock twist". (Now you can let go: the ears are locked in place.)
  • Repeat the process for the front and back legs: neck bubble, front leg 1, front leg 2, lock the legs together; body bubble, back leg 1, back leg 2, lock the legs together. Trim the tail if needed. Proportion will come more easily with practice.

To finish the creation the twister might use a felt-tip marker to draw a face on the dog. The most common marker used on latex is a Sharpie, a common brand of permanent marker. Other markers can be used as well. If you wish to try another kind of marker on your balloons, it is wise to test them beforehand to make sure they react well with the latex. Some markers do not dry on the latex, and smear long after being applied, which is the case with some brands of dry erase markers. Other markers contain an acidic ink that reacts with the latex, causing the balloon to pop. Cheaper markers may also have badly-shaped felt tips which can pop balloons.

Blowing up a "260" by mouth

NOTE: Blowing up a 260 or other twisting balloons can be dangerous (see above). Proceed with caution and at your own risk.
A twister mouth-inflating a 260 balloon will typically do the following:

• Hold cheeks in, creating a funnel shape with the mouth. A common mistake is to puff the cheeks out while blowing up the balloon, causing undue stress on the cheeks and sometimes resulting in pain.
• With the left hand, hold the nozzle of the balloon firmly but openly, putting the nozzle to your mouth. This hand will remain stationary until the balloon is inflated. Do not hold the balloon so tightly that it seals shut: air must be able to enter the balloon.
• With the right hand, grab the balloon 3-5 inches away from the nozzle, sealing the balloon at that point and creating a smaller section in the balloon. (This reduces the amount of pressure required to inflate the balloon, as longer balloons are harder to blow up than their shorter counterparts.)
• Blow into the balloon, pulling the right hand away from the face while maintaining the seal and stretching the sealed-off section. The balloon should start to expand. The twister will typically release the right hand after the entire 3-5 inch section is inflated. Once the balloon has started to expand, the rest of the inflation becomes easier. While an experienced twister can inflate an entire 260 with one breath, most beginners require 2-3 breaths to inflate the balloon after getting it started.

NOTE: Stretching the balloon prior to inflation does not significantly ease the process.
There are various reasons that some people can blow up balloons with their mouths, while others can't. Many older, experienced twisters are quite adept at mouth inflation because that method was the standard for many years. More men tend to inflate by mouth than women, and bigger people are more likely to blow up balloons with their mouths than smaller people. Also, while a 10-year old tuba player can probably blow up this type of balloon, most people under the age of 20 do not have the physical strength to blow up a 260 without a pump.

Techniques

Inflation

The familiar long, narrow balloons used by modellers require some practice to inflate properly, both because of the high pressure required and the experience needed to judge how much air to add. A length of full but not inflated (FBNI) balloon is generally left at the end, since air is forced out of the inflated portion as work progresses. The amount of twisting to be done determines the quantity of air that can safely be added before the balloon is tied shut (each twist uses up some spare FBNI).

Pinch-and-twist

The balloon is pinched off and then twisted through several rotations to form isolated bubbles. This should begin at the nozzle end of the balloon, so that FBNI material is always available to one of the bubbles being pinched, preventing a buildup of pressure.

Locking twist

Three pinch-and-twists result in four bubbles (with the last typically being the remainder of the balloon). If the first and third twist are brought together and twisted, the result will lock together, with two bubbles joined at their ends, and two free bubbles. This is also the standard "dog's head" twist. Additional security for the twist is added if one of the two free bubbles is passed between the two bubbles joined at their ends. Some call this a "security lock."

Fold twist, ear twist, pinch twist, or bean twist

Similar to the locking twist, but using only three bubbles: the center section is folded gradually, rather than hinging sharply at a twist. These can be made much smaller than locking twists, so that the center section resembles an ear or bean, but they are able to lock in a similar way.

Bird body or three bubble roll-through

This begins with a locking twist, using relatively long bubbles. Another pinch-and-twist produces another bubble, which is "rolled through" the opening between the two joined bubbles, to produce another locking twist at the opposite end.

Apple twist, tulip twist, or hook twist

The nozzle end of the balloon is inserted into the inflated balloon, by turning a short section of the balloon inside-out. The knot is then trapped in a pinch-and-twist, leaving a vaguely torus-shaped bubble. The inverted section of the balloon applies tension, and can hold relatively long bubbles. The hook twist also uses the knot to lock the twist instead of a bubble. The hook twist is created by pulling the knot down along the side of the balloon, where it is locked by a pinch twist to the remaining balloon length. A common use of the hook twist is to create a parrot's head. It is also commonly used to create various hair effects on balloon sculptures. Variations include the yo-yo twist and marriage twist (see reference).

Poodle tail

Air is forced through the remaining length of FBNI balloon and allowed to inflate a small section at the end of the balloon. The is accomplished by applying gentle pressure to the FBNI above the bubble, preventing it from inflating, then firmly squeezing the bubble forcing the air up.
In the past, this was covered by simultaneously sucking the end of the tail, apparently causing the bubble to appear. However, because of the risk of children attempting to repeat the feat or otherwise placing balloons in their mouth, this is generally discouraged today. An alternative gimmick is to have the performer or child blow on the end of the balloon, apparently inflating it from outside.

Pop twist

The pop twist is typically used to create extra "ends" of the balloon, for instance for creating arms for a teddy bear or other character. In this case, after the neck bubble, twist one longer bubble (one arm), three 1/2 inch bubbles (two hands and a spare which will be popped), and a second longer bubble (the other arm) which is twisted to the first, creating a ring of 5 bubbles. Now ear twist the first and third of the smaller bubbles, approximately 5 full rotations each - they should be taut against the longer bubbles. Using one hand to hold all bubbles firmly, use a pair of scissors (or pin, pocket knife, etc) to pop the centre small bubble. Carefully release the two arms, ensuring that the hands stick by friction and don't unravel, revealing two separate arms and hands.
The pop twist is less durable than most other twists, and so may not be suitable for children's balloons, but can be used to create many impressive character pieces.

Common models

Single balloon

• Basic four-legged animal: Three locking twists. The first forms nose, ears/face, and neck; the second, front legs and body; the third, back legs and tail. Different proportions can be used to represent a dachshund, a giraffe, etc.

• Elephant: A hook twist trunk followed by a bean twist face and two large "elephant ear" twists, finished with two locking twists as above.

• Monkey

• Bear

• Helmet: Three bubble roll through sized to fit a person's head.

• Sword: Twofold twists form the cross piece, with one short and one long bubble forming the handle and blade.

• Tommy gun

Multiple balloon

• Characters
• Monkey on palm tree
• Penguins
• Big dog
• Bear on heart
• Octopus
• Flowers

References

1. ^ Dewey, Ralph. Balloon History BalloonHQ Column. Accessed 10/5/07
2. ^ ^{a b} Andrew, Val. Manual of Balloon Modeling, Vol. 1, An Encyclopedic Series 1981, Magico Magazine, NYC quoted on Balloon History BalloonHQ. Accessed 10/5/07
3. ^ Maar, Joseph.The Story of Henry Maar TMyers.com 6/20/06 Accessed 10/5/07

Are foil balloons biodegradable like Latex balloons?

Because foil balloons contain aluminum they are NOT considered to be biodegradable. What's more, as these balloons contain metal, they can (and will) conduct electricity. Thus, they should NEVER be released outdoors because they could become entangled with power lines and lead to commercial power outages.

When were foil balloons invented and how are they made?

Silver metalized balloons were first developed for the New York City ballet in the late 1970s. These balloons are sometimes (mistakenly) called "Mylar" balloons, but they are almost always made from sandwiched sheets of plastic (polyethylene) and nylon that are then coated with aluminum. Because of this, the balloon industry prefers to call them "foil" balloons. They are much more expensive to produce than ordinary Latex balloons. While the molecular structure of foil balloons is much "tighter" than stretched Latex, even with these balloons, Helium will still eventually seep out through the inflation seal of a foil balloon and leave them loosely sagging and flat.

What happens to Helium-filled Latex balloons released outdoors?

Research has shown that after Latex balloons are launched, they often rise to an altitude of about five miles where they begin to freeze in the -50 degree Fahrenheit cold. In addition, the strong differential between the gas pressure inside the balloon and the near vacuum outside the balloon at that altitude causes the balloons to expand to the point were they eventually burst. However, because the Latex is frozen, the bursting balloon tears into shreds (the exact scientific term is called "brittle fracture"). These tiny, spaghetti-like pieces then scatter over a wide area as they fall back to Earth where they naturally begin to decay according to the process we discussed earlier.

How long will my Helium-filled balloons float?

While it's the small size (and hence the"lightness") of the Helium molecule that causes Helium-filled balloons to float, this attribute also creates a pesky problem when trying to keep Helium-filled Latex balloons inflated for long periods of time. Because Helium molecules are so much smaller than the space between the molecules of stretched Latex rubber, Helium will slowly seep out of a Latex balloon directly through the balloon's wall. This is why untreated Helium-filled Latex balloons only stay inflated for a relatively short period of time as compared to air-filled balloons.
On average, untreated 11 inch diameter Helium-filled Latex balloons can be expected to float for about 12-18 hours, and 16 inch diameter Latex balloons will float for up to 24-36 hours after being initially filled (your "mileage" may vary depending on temperature and atmospheric conditions!) Treating the inside of Latex balloons with a water soluble, transparent plastic material called Hi-Float® will greatly help them hold their Helium longer. This product works because its molecular structure (plastic) is much "tighter" than Latex rubber, so it reduces the rate of Helium loss through the Latex balloon's outer wall.

Why do Helium-filled balloons float?

Helium-filled balloons float in air in much the same way than an inner tube floats on water. That is, if you stand underwater at the bottom of a large swimming pool and you also happen to have an inflated inner tube down there at the bottom with you, when you release the inner tube, it will quickly rise to the surface of the pool. That's because both the inner tube and the volume of air it contains weigh far less than the volume of water the inflated inner tube displaces. Hence, the inner tube quickly rises to the surface of the pool and then floats on top of the water.
Likewise, when you stand outside in front of your home, you are actually standing at the bottom of a "pool" of air that is many (many!) miles deep. So, when a balloon is inflated with Helium, it displaces a volume of air equal to the balloon's inflated size. As long as the total weight of the inflated balloon plus the Helium it contains is lighter than the volume of the relatively "heavier" air that it displaces, the balloon will tend to float to the "surface" of the pool of air surrounding it in much the same way that an inner tube floats to the surface of a swimming pool. However, in this case, the top of the "pool" of air is actually the top of the Earth's atmosphere!

Where does Helium come from and why is is so expensive?

Helium is a non-flammable, non-toxic, non-radioactive, naturally occurring and environmentally friendly gas that, after hydrogen, is the second most abundant element in the Universe. However, on Earth, helium is relatively rare. In the USA it is mined, or more precisely, drilled for in the Texas and Oklahoma panhandles from natural gas wells that also happen to be encased in radioactive rock. The rocks decay over millions and millions of years and, in the course of that decay, release a non-radioactive by-product --- Helium --- one molecule at a time! The helium gas accumulates in the same pocket that produces the natural gas. Both are recovered together and then later separated.   
Right now, the world is gripped in a global helium shortage.  Unfortunately, if it’s not extracted during the natural gas refining process, the helium it contains is simply lost.  And because it is produced as a by-product of natural gas processing, its value is considerably less.  So, extracting it from the natural gas stream is therefore a secondary consideration.  Or, to put it another way,  right now, helium isn’t valuable enough to those making billions from natural gas extraction to justify developing a natural gas field and then also building a helium gas processing plant purely to extract helium from that natural gas stream.  The helium distillation plant would be an add on.
Following World War I, up to 32 billion cubic feet of helium gas were bunkered underground by the US government at the Cliffside Field near Amarillo, Texas, called the ‘Federal Helium Reserve’. This stockpile was set up to be privatized after the Helium Privatization Act of 1996 was passed.  This helium is now being sold off at a constant rate (2.2 billion feet per year) with the intent of fully depleting the Federal Reserve (except for a permanent strategic reserve of 600 million cubic feet) by 2015. 
The US Bureau of Land Management pipeline and the associated private crude Helium plants handling this strategic resource were all designed to produce 4 billion cubic feet per year of crude helium to supply the 6 private helium refineries located along this pipeline system. However, due to the continuing depletion of current helium-bearing natural gas fields, these refineries can no longer operate at full capacity.  Increasing demand (along with a fixed rate of its removal from the Federal Reserve) plus depletion of these helium-gas-bearing natural gas fields have all conspired to reduce the available supply of helium in the United States by approximately 300 million cubic feet in 2007.  And that gap is expected to continue growing each year as demand continues to rise and non-strategic reserve sources continue to be depleted.
And while there is an abundance of helium-bearing natural gas in the Middle East, none of these sources are expected to reach full capacity until at least 2011, all of  which means that...at least for the foreseeable future...helium to fill balloons will continue to be scarce...and, therefore, ever-more expensive!

Why to Latex balloons go BANG! when they burst?

Contrary to popular belief, the loud noise you hear when Latex balloons burst is not due to the sudden release of high pressure gas contained inside the balloon...such pressure isn't all that great. Rather, the BANG is caused by the tightly stretched ends of the torn Latex balloon pieces exceeding the speed of sound (and, thus, creating a "sonic boom" ) as they quickly snap back to their pre-inflated size. Specifically, when a tiny crack develops in the surface of an inflated Latex balloon (such as when a pin pricks it) the resulting rapid release of energy stored in the stretched Latex accelerates the crack to near the speed of sound in rubber.  Since this speed is much higher than the speed of sound in air, the running crack actually breaks the sound barrier!   The loudness of the bang is usually dependent on how much the Latex is stretched before it bursts. This is why even small Latex balloons stretched to their limits will often make a much louder BANG when they burst than a larger balloon that is not stretched as tightly.

How are Latex balloons imprinted?

Most Latex balloons manufactured today are imprinted using one of three popular methods, depending upon the quantity, balloon size, delivery date, quality of the imprinting desired and/or other factors involved in the order. Contrary to popular belief, most imprinted Latex balloons manufactured these days are not hand stamped in a deflated condition as they once were! Rather, most are usually imprinted in an inflated state and are either sprayed, offset or screen printed.
When balloons are inflated for printing, they are only inflated to approximately 75 to 80 percent of the total capacity. This gives the proper tension to the surface of the balloon for the ink to successfully transfer. Specialized "balloon friendly" inks must also be used that will penetrate (and adhere) to the surface of the balloon but yet not penetrate completely through the Latex into the interior, causing holes. Once placed on the balloon, the ink is then allowed to dry and the balloons are then deflated, drummed in rotating industrial dryers (to shrink them back to their "like new" condition) and then packaged.
One popular method of imprinting creates what the Pioneer Balloon Company (makers of the popular Qualatex® line of balloons) calls a spray balloon. In this process, balloon ink in various colours is simply sprayed onto balloons by a machine after automatically inflating them. The inflated balloons are rotated as the ink is sprayed on, usually in some form of recurring, all around pattern. The more popular Qualatex patterns include multi-colored polka dots, squiggles, stripes, stars, music notes, candles, etc. These sprayed-on patterns result in an image that is not nearly as sharp as other, more labor intensive imprinting methods when the balloon is fully inflated for use. So, while this form of imprinting is a bit less expensive than the more labor intensive forms of imprinting, it also results in a less "bold" imprint on the balloon.
The next imprinting method is a form of offset printing. In this process, balloon ink is applied to a plate which reads right, the plate then transfers the ink to a printing drum, and the image reads wrong. The inflated balloon is then rolled across the printing drum transferring the image to the balloon. The image once again reads right.
A third, and increasingly popular method of printing (but probably the most labor-intensive) is called silk screening. In this process, a silk screen (onto which an image has been etched) is laid over an inflated balloon and balloon ink is then forced through the image area mesh in the screen and onto the balloon. The silk screening is usually done by using a holding device for the balloon that looks very much like a ordinary wooden box. A worker manually places an inflated balloon into the box and then slightly compresses the surface of the printing area of the screen onto the balloon prior to applying the ink with a roller-like device. This process may be repeated multiple times for a single balloon depending on how much of the balloon is to be imprinted (front, back, top, all around, etc.) This type of screening can also be done with an automatic machine on small to medium size balloons. Once the image(s) are placed on the balloons, the balloon is released and deflation begins. However, by the time the balloon is deflated, the ink must be dry in order to prevent offsetting it onto other balloons in close proximity. To speed this process along, newly imprinted balloons are sometimes placed (neck first) into a conveyor belt device that moves the balloons beside a line of heaters to help dry the ink as the balloons deflate.
As you can see, the process of imprinting balloons is a laborious, often manual (human-tended) activity. This is why imprinted printed latex balloons are so much more expensive than unprinted balloons to produce.

How are Latex balloons made today?

Pure Latex, in its natural form, is milky white in colour. It usually arrives in North America from rubber producing countries via large ocean going tanker ships. It is then either shipped by rail or trucked to the balloon manufacturer. To make it suitable for balloon production, various curing agents along with accelerators, oil, colour, and water must first be added to the mix. After these elements are added, the prepared Latex is placed into a wide, open-topped tank that is located immediately beside the balloon production line.
Almost all commercially produced Latex balloons are now manufactured by dipping metal balloon forms (in the same shape and size of the uninflated balloon it will help produce) into these tanks of liquid Latex. For example, a balloon form for a round balloon is shaped like small light bulb. However, before the forms can be dipped into the liquid Latex, they must first be dipped into a coagulant that causes the rubber particles of the Latex to collect on the form. This coagulant is calcium nitrate, water, and/or alcohol. After the coagulant coated form is dried, the actual process of balloon making can commence.
In the next part of the process (most of which is automated these days) the variously shaped balloon forms are dipped "upside down" into the open-topped Latex tank at the proper point in the production process. For example, to make a round balloon, the form is dipped bulbous (top) end first. Because it is dipped "upside down", the excess Latex has a tendency to drip off the "top" of the form, making that part of the balloon just a little bit thicker than the bottom. This forms what is called a "drip tip" on that end. These are the little dark spots of thicker Latex you often see in the top center (or ends) of most inflated Latex balloons. It also follows that because the Latex at the top of the balloon is usually the thickest, the thinnest (and therefore the weakest) part of the balloon will usually be near its neck.
After dipping, the Latex coated forms are turned right side up again and are then passed through a set of revolving brushes that roll the balloon necks into the familiar looking beads or lips that aid in the inflation of the balloon (these beads are called "nubbins" in the balloon industry). In this part of the process, the excess (ragged) Latex at the bottom of the neck end of the balloon mold is rolled upwards (toward the bulbous or wide end of the balloon) by small motorized brushes. The brushes are positioned horizontally (one on each side of each row of molds) and are mounted so as to "point" toward the approaching molds. As the rows of Latex-coated molds progress down the production line, they pass between the rotating, cone shaped brushes. The brushes turn in opposite directions and lightly touch the molds at the neck (bottom) end, thus rolling the Latex into the familiar nubbin shape on each newly formed balloon. This process all occurs while the Latex is still uncured.
Now, the almost-completed balloon, still on its form, is washed in hot water to remove any unused nitrate. Following this process (called "leaching"), the balloon-covered forms are then put into an oven at 200-220 degrees Fahrenheit (in a process called "vulcanizing") to cure for 20-25 minutes. Once cured, the completed balloons are removed from their forms (stripped) and sorted for later imprinting or prepared directly for packaging and shipping. The metal forms are saved for later use and can be re-used over and over again in future production runs.
A fully automated balloon factory (running multiple (automated) production lines) can produce upwards of one million Latex balloons per day this way!

How and when were Latex balloons invented?

Toy balloons were invented in England the same year as the electro-magnet (1824). Early balloons were made from pig bladders and later from a rubber similar to that used to make rain boots. However, the modern-day, manufactured Latex toy balloon---the kind you buy and blow up yourself---has only been around for 70 years or so. It's inventor is generally considered to be a chemical engineer from New England, USA named Neil Tillotson. Back in 1931, Mr. Tillotson had become extremely frustrated while trying to make useable inner tubes from raw Latex. So, just for fun, he scrawled the shape of a cat's head on a piece of cardboard, cut it out and then dipped it in the liquid Latex to see what would happen. When the rubber dried, he inflated the little bag he had produced and found, much to his surprise, that he had made a "cat balloon"---complete with ears! He produced about 2000 of these balloons and sold them on the street corner at Boston's annual Patriot's Day Parade that year. Needless to say, the new novelty was a big hit with the crowds. The rest of the story, as they say, is history. Mr. Tillotson later went on to found one of the USA's oldest and largest Latex balloon manufacturers, Tillotson Rubber Company. I'm told the company is now being operated by Mr. Tillotson's son and they they are still in the business of manufacturing and selling their unique line of "Tilly^®"Latex balloons.

Where does Latex come from?

Latex is a naturally occurring milky sap that comes from rubber trees (Hevea brasilliensis) that grow in many of the world's rain forests. Currently, the country of Maylasia is the world's largest producer of natural Latex. The Latex is collected by cutting the bark of the tree with a knife and catching the Latex in a cup as it drips out. The process is very much like the way sap is harvested from maple trees to make maple syrup. This harvesting is accomplished all without doing permanent damage to the tree. A single rubber tree can produce rubber for about 40 years! Because rubber trees represent a nearly perpetual cash crop, this helps discourage people from cutting them down, which, in turn, helps preserve the rain forests of the world for future generations.  
What's more, because rubber trees consume Carbon Dioxide (CO2) from the air and give off Oxygen (O2), they act as natural "air scrubbers"... helping to cleanse our planet of excess CO2 (a so-called "greenhouse gas") while generating life-giving oxygen in the process.    With environmental groups and political campaigns all focused these days on encouraging citizens and businesses to reduce their "carbon footprint",  this makes the use of balloons made from natural latex one the "greenest" forms of event decor around, particularly as latex balloons are naturally biodegradable as well.
Latex is also classified as...would you believe...a vegetable?

What are rubber balloons made from?

Higher quality rubber (toy) balloons are made from a naturally occurring substance called Latex. Latex is biodegradable and will decompose as fast as an oak leaf in your back yard given identical conditions. The degradation process begins almost immediately after inflated balloons are exposed to the air. This can be seen by the oxidation --the "frosting" ---that begins to coat Latex balloons after they have been inflated for awhile. Exposure to elevated temperatures and sunlight quickens this process, but natural microorganisms will also attack and decompose natural Latex rubber even in the dark. The total degradation time of a Latex balloon will vary depending on the precise environmental conditions it encounters, but it can be as short as several weeks.

How Balloons Are Manufactured

History of Italian Balloon

History of Italian Balloon

Il palloncino italiano nasce agli inizi del 1900 quando Angelo Rocca si trovava a Marsiglia e come tanti emigranti vendeva palloncini. The balloon Italian born in early 1900 when Angelo Rocca was in Marseille and like many immigrants selling balloons. Al suo rientro in Italia era così forte la passione per i palloncini che fonda a Casalvieri, in provincia di Frosinone, una delle prime attività italiane per la fabbricazione artigianale di palloncini in gomma. On his return to Italy was so strong a passion for balloons in Casalvieri based in the province of Frosinone, one of the first Italian operations for the manufacture of handmade rubber balloons.

Nel 1953 Genesio Rocca, uno dei numerosi figli di Angelo Rocca, lascia l'attività del padre e fonda la ditta Cav. In 1953 Rocca Genesio, one of the many sons of Angelo Rocca, let the work of father and founded the company Cav. Genesio Rocca. Rocca Genesio.
Nel 1970, nonostante l'instabile situazione politica ed economica italiana, Genesio Rocca fa nuovi investimenti, acquista costosi macchinari per industrializzare i cicli di produzione di palloncini. In 1970, despite the unstable political and economic situation the Italian Rocca Genesio makes new investments, buy expensive machinery to industrialize the production cycles of balloons.

Nel 1977 alla scomparsa di Genesio, il primogenito Angelo assume la gestione dell'azienda fondando, successivamente nel 1990 la Gemar srl. In 1977, the disappearance of Genesis, the eldest son Angelo took the management company founded later in 1990 Gemar srl.
In sinergia con la moglie Emma, il figlio Genesio e la nuora Gloria l'azienda assume l'assetto di un gruppo internazionale e sviluppa al massimo le sue potenzialità. In synergy with his wife Emma, son and daughter Gloria Genesio the company took the attitude of an international group and to maximize its potential.
E' da questo momento che il palloncino italiano inizia a conquistare il mercato internazionale e si diffonde, rafforzando la qualità, l'identità e la commercializzazione del prodotto. And 'from this time the balloon begins to conquer the Italian market and is spreading internationally, promoting the quality, identity and marketing.
Oggi il palloncino italiano prodotto dalla Gemar vanta una produzione di oltre 30 forme e misure nonché 60 diversi colori. Today the Italian balloon produced by Gemar boasts the production of more than 30 shapes and sizes and 60 different colors.

One of the leading balloon supplier in india

Printing on latex balloons

Printed latex balloons are inflated while the printing takes place, screen printed, then deflated, drummed in rotating industrial dryers to shrink them back to "like new," and packaged. This is why printed latex balloons are so much more expensive than unprinted balloons.

How Latex Balloons Are Made: General Overview

THE NATIONAL LATEX PRODUCTS COMPANY
OVERVIEW OF HOW BALLOONS ARE MADE

Balloons are manufactured from a liquid rubber called latex. The balloon gets its color from the pigment that is added to the latex. Pigments are both organic and inorganic compounds that absorb certain wavelengths of visible light and reflect others. For example, a red balloon is red because the balloon absorbs all the visible light except red frequency light which is reflected back to the eye.

When were balloons invented?
Balloons—in one form or another—have been around for centuries. But the modern latex balloon—the kind you can blow up yourself—was invented in New England
during the Great Depression.

BelloDeco

We can transform a simple venue to your desired theme with our balloons!

History

In 1643 Evangelista Torricelli, an Italian physicist, showed air was something more than nothing.
The balloon was invented by the Portuguese priest (at 45 years of age) Bartolomeu de Gusmão (brother of the Portuguese statesman Alexandre de Gusmão), and the first public exhibition was to the Portuguese Court on August 8, 1709, in the hall of the Casa da Índia in Lisbon.

Passarola, Bartolomeu de Gusmão’s airship