Helium Balloons - A Short History

Would you believe promotional latex balloons are printed whilst inflated. It's actually quite a complicated process. The balloons are inflated with air and held in a clamp. After this they are squashed down onto a screen which delivers the image onto the balloon.

After the printing process the wet ink needs to be dried before it can then be deflated. It must not be deflated too soon or the ink will stay moist for hours and as a result they will stick together. An automatic printing machine will be able to inflate them a little more after printing to help faster drying, the balloons are usually then blown dry.

This method of drying was never a problem during the early days when all latex balloons were printed using the offset method. Offset printing used rubber plates and rollers to apply a thin layer of ink to the inflated balloons. The ink dried instantly. A great speedy printing method but unfortunately the quality was rubbish. The printed versions looked reasonable when they were flat but as soon as they were inflated the ink faded.

Demand began to increase and as a result the need for better quality arrived, and so screen printing became the standard procedure. The screens give a thicker build of ink and first class quality. White ink on Black became possible, this was not an option with the offset method.

As balloon printing at weddings, birthdays and corporate events continued to grow in popularity, so did the need to accessorise. Soon self sealing valves were on the market as most people found it difficult to tie more than 100 balloons. The first valves on the market needed a small inward 'push' to seal them and later these were superseded by instant sealing valves.

The valves are easily inserted into the bottom of the balloons once they have been printed. Once helium filled they become the perfect promotional item, an advert on the move that appeals to everyone - but costs very little.

As balloon printing took off demand grew for races and releases. A release is the perfect spectacle at schools, Football grounds and corporate launches.

This brought new environmental issues to the industry. A code of conduct was duely created and the new self sealing valves were not permitted for use during a release. Everything now had to be 100% biodegradable.

In today's market place it's never been simpler to source and purchase promotional balloons. You can order them printed, with helium gas and any required accessories by sending a simple email. The durability and print quality has been tried and tested to deliver better performance and float times.


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The author resides in London and works in the digital design industry. For further information on anything
relating to party balloons and wedding balloons he recommends visiting: Balloon.co.uk