There are all kinds of fun and festive (and affordable) ways to decorate a room or backyard for a party, such as colorful tablecloths, vases of flowers, streamers, music, garland, and most of all, balloons. Wholesale latex balloons or foil balloons are easy to find, such as at party supply stores or even grocery stores, and they’re a snap to inflate, use, and discard later. Of course, it’s important to make sure latex balloons don’t become a choking hazard for small children or pets, and they must be disposed of correctly. Also take note that air filled balloons and helium balloons can work in different ways, and in some cases, a person might prefer foil balloons over latex ones, or the other way around. Not all balloons need to float, after all.
All About Latex Balloons
These are often the default balloon type, and when people hear “balloon,” they’re usually thinking about latex ones, either air filled balloons or those floating around with helium. In fact, the very idea of latex balloons goes all the way back to 1824, when a certain professor Michael Faraday invented them by fusing together the edges of two rubber sheets and filling them with helium. Balloons have been made ever since, though today, they tend to be made of latex instead of rubber. Why is that? It would put some serious strain on the world’s forests to harvest enough rubber for all those balloons, but latex is much more sustainable to harvest for balloon manufacture. A latex tree can provide material for 40 years without getting killed in the process, after all.
Latex balloons can be bought many at a time for a low price, such as in large packets at a party store. But should they be filled with helium, or are air filled balloons a better idea? Filling balloons with helium will make them float, which is great fun, but not everyone has access to a helium pump. A buyer can find helium filled balloons at an event such as a carnival, though, or at a grocery store. Helium balloons are tethered to strings and long ribbons when they are for sale like that. Meanwhile, air filled balloons don’t float, but they are convenient to inflate, since regular air pumps are common, and air filled balloons can even be inflated with the user’s own breath. Such balloons can be taped onto surfaces or items such as a wall or the back of a chair.
Foil Balloons
A foil balloon is made up of two foil sheets that are cut into shape, then have their edges fused together. A foil balloon will nearly always be filled with helium, and unlike latex balloons, foil balloons can be cut into many different shapes, ranging from heart shaped balloons to circles to numbers and letters. What is more, foil balloons can be printed with just about anything on them, from solid colors to messages such as “happy birthday” and even pop culture images. Foil balloons can be bought in a package and inflated later, but often, they are also for sale already inflated at grocery stores. This is convenient for shoppers, and it’s a good chance to prominently show the balloon’s image and colors.
Balloons and Parties
When is a good time to use some festive balloons? A child’s birthday party is a great time for balloons, such as a foil balloon with a “happy birthday” image, and/or foil balloons shaped like numbers to mark the child’s age. That, and air filled balloons can be taped just about anywhere, or scattered on the floor to form a sort of ball pit. Meanwhile, balloons also make great gifts, and a red or pink heart shaped balloon can be given as a Valentine’s Day gift. Foil balloons are also choice gifts for hospital patients, to cheer them up. A baby shower or bridal shower is another fine setting for balloons, often pink or white latex ones filled with helium and clustered into bunches. Lastly, many high school proms use a lot of air filled balloons to decorate, such as forming large arches with hundreds of balloons at once. That, and a ceiling-mounted cage can release hundreds of air filled balloons onto the dance floor at some point during prom.
