Printed Balloons

Advertising balloons in quality print / screen print

The very best quality in material and printing (with 100% ink coverage) for a competitive price!

When you want the very best, there's nothing quite like our balloons to brighten a day, share a thought, convey your advertising message, and colour an event. When ordering custom printed balloons, you need to remember that only top quality printing is good enough for your balloons. That's why your balloons always shall be printed in quality print / screen print, ensuring the very best ink coverage. Both foil and latex balloons can be printed in this way, the foil balloons are printed flat but the latex ones must be partly inflated before printing, using a special balloon printing machine.

So we invite you to not only compare the price, but the quality as well!

Technical details

Material:

Natural latex, in accordance with the 21st regulations of the Federal Office of Health in Germany (BGA), EN 71-3.

Printing:

1 to 3 process colours in quality print / screen print. 4 process colours are available upon request from 10.000 balloons and up. After seeing the desired artwork, we will gladly advise you and present you with a personal quote.

Balloon colours

Available in 16 individual or assorted colours. Standard colours: Red - white - light blue - mid blue - dark blue - light green - dark green - bright green - light yellow - dark yellow - orange - pink - purple - magenta - black and clear transparent). Ask about other balloon colours as well as metallic or crystal colours.

Ballonger & sånt - Tel: +46 8 650 99 55

Anything balloon, and more!

Offset printing (sometimes called "Litho")

Offset printing uses metal or plastic plates which transfer ink to a rubber roller and then onto the balloon. This gives a thin layer of ink with a hard edge around it. The best offset ( or "Litho" ) printing can be very acceptable but it does not give the colour density of screen printing.

Drawing onto latex balloons

When you want only one of each design, for example putting children's names on balloons for a party, the only solution is to write on the INFLATED balloons with a POSCA pen. This is a special water-based flexible ink that works with both latex and Mylar balloons. Most balloon wholesalers stock them in many colours and sizes. The ink is slow to dry so use a hairdryer to avoid smudging it (not too hot).

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. Any camera-ready artwork can be imprinted on latex balloons (as long as it does not infringe on copyright).

Balloons are printed using several different methods or types of printing depending upon the quantity, balloon size, delivery date, and other factors involved in the order. all balloons are printed in an inflated state with the two methods described below.

The first method of printing is a form of offset printing. ink is applied to the plate which reads right, the plate then transfers the ink to a printing drum, and the image reads wrong. the balloon is then rolled across the printing drum transferring the image to the balloon. the image once again reads right.

The second method of printing is silk screening. This method has the balloon in a flat, uninflated condition for printing. A silk screen, into which an image has been etched, is then laid over the balloon, and ink is forced through the mesh in the screen in the image area and onto the balloon. The non-image area does not permit ink to penetrate, thereby putting ink only in the image area. Silk screening is also done on inflated balloons by using a holding device and slightly compressing the surface of the printing area with the screen prior to applying the ink. This type of screening is done with an automatic machine on small to medium size balloons.

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 ink transfer.

Immediately upon placing the image on the balloon surface, the balloon is released and deflation begins. By the time the balloon is deflated, the ink must be dry to prevent offsetting onto other balloons.

Specialized ink must be used that will bite into the surface of the balloon and yet not go far enough below the surface to penetrate completely throughout to the interior, causing holes in the balloon.

Contrary to popular belief, balloons are not hand stamped in a deflated condition.

Printing alternative: a rubber stamp with quick-drying ink can be used to imprint on an inflated balloon.

Balloon Printing Machines and Services

There are companies that offer balloon printing services. Having balloons custom-printed is much like having T-Shirts silk-screened. The customer supplies the artwork and picks a quantity, and the company fills the order. In recent years, a few companies have introduced services for printing on 260 balloons.

There are also companies which manufacture and sell balloon printing machines to businesses.