Blog Post

Biodegradable Balloons

Jacqui Young

The Facts

LATEX BALLOONS
All of our latex balloons are made from high quality natural latex which is created from the sap of rubber trees – an organic material which is fully biodegradable. Latex is harvested from trees in a similar manner to maple syrup. The tree is not cut down and can produce latex for over 30 years. Rubber trees are also not tapped until they are at least 6 years old

How Latex is Sourced
Leading manufacturers source their latex from sustainable Rain Forest Alliance Certified and Forest Stewardship Council Plantations. This contributes to building healthy forests, thriving communities and fights climate change. A latex balloon biodegrades at the same rate as an oak leaf (6 months). Due to this, balloons can be disposed of in landfill as they take care of themselves.

HELIUM

Balloons use Grade 4 Helium – the lowest level of purity on the market. Grade 6 and above is the purest form, used for medical purposes. Both grades originate from the same sources but balloon-gas is unrefined containing about 2% other gases, meaning it is unsuitable for scientific applications.

24% of helium is used in cryogenic applications including MRI scanners

20% is used in the space industry

18% is used for welding

16% is used by the electronics industry for growing crystals

6% is used for leak detection

5% is used by the party industry for balloons

A typical MRI scanner uses about 10000 litres of liquid helium - the equivalent of 211,888 balloons.

ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY
Balloons can fill a room with decor but what you are seeing is mostly air. Once popped, thousands of balloons will not even fill 1 bin bag and they are biodegradable. This is less waste than 1 cardboard sign/banner.

BALLOON RELEASES
We do not condone or knowingly provide balloons for balloon releases. Releases are incredibly harmful for the environment and shouldn’t be conducted under any circumstance. When you are finished enjoying balloons please "pin it and bin it". Balloons should never be released outdoors.

BUBBLE BALLOONS
Our Bubble Balloons are made from a super durable and stretchy plastic which makes them the perfect balloon to offer inflated via the post. They are made from Polypropylene, which is a product of natural polyolefin resins. In comparison to PVC which sits in landfills for hundreds of years, they take fewer natural resources to produce, generate fewer waste products in production and disposal and are widely recycled in the UK. Polyolefin resin is originally extracted from hydrocarbon sources, therefore, with the addition of carbon or hydrogen at high temperatures, Polypropylene becomes degradable. Unlike PVC or chlorine plastics, when burnt Polypropylene does not produce toxic gases.

by Jacqueline Young 26 Dec, 2018
As the new year approaches I look back on the fantastic year just gone and look forward to the new one just about to begin. Last year saw the release of Chrome balloons. These amazing balloons have a metallic effect and have been hugely popular in 2018. For 2019 Chrome balloons will be available in coordinating foils. We cant wait to see what amazing creations can be made with these. We also look forward to the release of Ombre orbs in early 2019. they will coordinate beautifully with unicorns, mermaids and magical designs. Every year we travel to Spring Fair in early February to see what new designs and trends are ahead. The shows leads to lots of creativity for us and we cant wait to see what lies ahead. We would like to wish all of our customers and fellow balloon professionals a very happy and prosperous 2019. See you all soon Jacqui
by Jacqui Young 11 Sept, 2018
Read a brief history of my journey with balloons so far
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