Today, people like to use and buy all kinds of decoration for a party or other event, such as a party tent, banners or streamers, tablecloths, and of course, balloons, too. Balloons today come in two general types: latex balloons, and foil balloons. There are perks to each type, and a wholesale balloons supplier might stock a party store with both types for customers to find. Latex balloons are arguably the most common and standard kinds of balloons used today, but there is plenty of demand for foil ones too, and foil balloons come in more shapes than latex balloons do. A person might fill balloons with helium to make them float, or fill them with air so they last longer and won’t float away.
On Latex Balloons
The very idea of balloons is older than some people might realize. Back in 1824, professor Michael Faraday invented them when he fused the edges of two rubber sheets together and inflated them with air, and it is safe to say that the idea stuck around. Most often, though, today’s balloons are in fact latex models, since it puts pressure on natural forests to harvest so much rubber. Instead, latex is harvested, and it is possible to harvest a lot of latex from a tree for many years without killing it. This makes latex balloons more environmentally sustainable.
Meanwhile, these latex balloons tend to come in packets with many in them, as they are very cheap and they are small before they are inflated. Once someone gets some latex balloons, they can fill those balloons up to their distinctive teardrop shape with either air or helium, based on which they prefer. If latex balloons are filled with air, they may last much longer than if they got helium, and these balloons will not float away. Air filled balloons may also be easier to fill, since it’s not always convenient to find a helium pump. A person can even use their own breath to fill these balloons with air if they don’t have a pump.
Caution should be taken with these latex balloons. Babies, children, and pets should be kept away from them, since these balloons may be a choking hazard until they are inflated to full size. Also, air filled balloons should be kept away from sharp objects or heat sources, or they might pop. Heat will expand the air inside them and strain the latex body until they pop.
Foil Balloons
Other balloons are made not from latex, but from two foil sheets fused at the edges and then inflated, typically with helium. These balloons, unlike latex ones, can appear in a wide variety of shapes since their foil sheets are cut carefully before being assembled. These foil balloons may form hearts, circles, or squares, or even form letters or numbers. They can be bought in a package, or often bought already inflated and held on a string with a weight, such as in a grocery store. These foil sheets, during production, may have graphics printed on them with messages and images of all sorts.
Where to Use Balloons
A birthday party is a great place for balloons, usually a kid’s birthday party. These balloons can be helium-filled and held in place with strings, or they can filled with air and taped onto walls or even the backs of chairs. At birthday parties, a birthday-themed foil balloon may be featured too, or many latex balloons can form a sort of ball pit on the floor for kids to enjoy. Balloons are also fine for a girl’s Sweet 16 birthday party, such as pink and white balloons in bunches.
Balloons are fine gifts for a hospital patient, such as helium-filled foil ones with a “get well soon” message on them, along with flowers or fruits baskets. Meanwhile, balloons can be used to decorate an indoor or outdoor charity event to make it more festive, and balloons are a staple of high school prom dances. A cage is mounted on the ceiling, and it will release thousands of air-filled balloons for the dancers to enjoy. These cages might have a rope for someone to tug, or they might have a remote control.
