Balloon Basics - Microfoil® Balloons

This type of balloon is often called a foil, Mylar^®, or a metallic balloon. However, they are not made from foil as you would imagine. They are actually made from a bi-axial nylon impregnated with aluminium on the outside to hold in the small molecules of helium or balloon gas and laminated with a polyethylene (plastic with a low melting point) coating on the inside to allow the material to be heat sealed. The material is then cut to the shape required and heat sealed at the edges. 




Due to their material, Microfoil^® balloons are less porous than latex balloons, so they stay inflated longer. This type of balloon is NOT biodegradable.

Qualatex^® Microfoil balloons are available in a wide range of colours that coordinate with the Qualatex latex colour range. Microfoil balloons range from 4” to 36” with a wide variety of shapes and designs.

Conwin Precision Plus Inflator.

Correctly inflated Microfoil balloons are firm with uniform creases along the seams (you must leave space for heat expansion). The 18” size and larger can be inflated with helium or balloon gas. For correct inflation, use an Automatic Foil Balloon inflator. These inflators have been designed to fill any size or shape Microfoil balloon to the optimum size (leaving the correct amount of creases) and will automatically cut-off when the balloon has reached its correct size. Using the wrong type of inflator can cause damage to the valve of a Microfoil balloon, plus you can easily overinflate these balloons, which could cause them to pop.

Save our balloons!

California is in the process of trying to ban sales of all foil/metallic balloons. 

This is serious folks!

This bill would totally ban the sale and use of helium-filled metallic balloons in the State of California, as of January 1, 2018.

•Selling and distributing balloons made of, or attached to, electrically conductive materials would be punished as follows:

–A first offence is punished as an infraction punishable by a fine of up to $250; and

–A second subsequent offence is punishable as a misdemeanour/criminal act.

•The bill will wreak economic havoc and possibly destroy hundreds of balloon and party businesses.

•Legislation in California can have a ripple effect on other states and will severely hurt anyone in the balloon business

22,000 jobs are dependent on balloon sales in California, and 60,000,000 foil balloons are sold annually in the state. Direct and indirect sales from balloons are estimated to be nearly $1.1 billion. (Source: http://www.theballooncouncil.org/take-action/)

If you live outside of California, you might be wondering what all the fuss is about or why balloons are such a big problem in California.

The issue all started over 30 years ago when the random release of helium-filled foil balloons caused some very serious power outages. Proponents of the ban suggest that balloon-related outages cost Californians millions of dollars each year, but they don’t provide much information on how they calculate that number.

In 1990 the California State Legislature passed SB 1990, a compromise bill supported by the balloon industry enacting a law to regulate the sales and use of helium-filled foil balloons. The law was passed in an effort to reduce power outages related to balloons.

In short, to be in accordance with the California Balloon Law and reduce electrical power incidents, all retail shops that sell balloons should follow the guidelines below:

• Weight all helium-filled foil balloons.

• Tie all ribbons to the weight so if they are released they will float away individually. DO NOT tie ribbons together before attaching to weight. Tie them to the weight with one knot each.

• Do not use metallic ribbon with helium-filled balloons.

The balloon industry has promoted these standards throughout the world, and it is working to ensure these Smart Balloon Practices are known and implemented by everyone who sells balloons.

In 2008, the issue resurfaced and a California legislator proposed to ban the sale of all foil balloons by the year 2010, once again due to the claimed increased number of power outages. An opposition grassroots campaign, “Save Our Balloons,” was set up by florists, special events planners, and small businesses to fight this new bill. Once again, due to the strong opposition, a compromise bill was passed. Because of the state’s financial crisis, the governor vetoed all “non-essential” bills and the California Balloon Law has remained the same since 1990.

So here we are again, faced with the same frightening ban that could truly affect our industry worldwide!

 So what can we do?