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Latex Balloon Facts

Latex balloons are made from natural rubber tree sap from the Heveabrasiliensis tree that is indigenous to Malaysia. The sap is cured and other ingredients added before it is cured with heat using a form and removed as a latex balloon. The process takes about three hours. Latex balloons that have printing on them have been inflated before the printing process, and inks that are used are also latex-based.

Highly Allergenic
- According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, latex balloons contain similar amounts of latex allergens as powdered gloves. The extractable amount is a significant source of allergen exposure with arbitrary units (AU) between 10 and 100 AU per milliliter and considered a significant factor of allergies, asthma symptoms and anaphylactic reactions. Many hospitals now have delivery restrictions when it comes to latex balloons, and some ban them outright.
Biodegradable
- Since latex balloons are made with 100 percent rubber, a natural substance, they are biodegradable. When the balloon starts to turn a milky color or opaque white, the oxidation process has begun. The time it takes a balloon to degrade depends on the amount of oxygen and sunlight to which it is exposed. Under ideal conditions, experiments have shown latex balloons degrade at about the same rate as an oak leaf under the same conditions.
History
- The first rubber balloon was initially used in helium experiments. Professor Michael Faraday, of London, while working for the Royal Institution in London in 1824, created balloons by cutting two pieces of rubber and putting them together. In 1924, Thomas Hancock created a rubber solution and sold it in a kit. The toy latex balloon was invented in 1947 by J.G. Ingram in London. The name balloon is derived from the French word "ballon," meaning "large ball."
Advertising
- In the early 1920s, balloons were used for advertising for the first time. A New York toy balloon company discharged 50,000 balloons filled with helium. Each balloon was printed with the company's name and had a tag attached so whoever found one could claim a prize. Today, many marketing strategies utilize latex balloons imprinted with company logos to advertise their business.
Entertainment
- Originally, animal bladders were used as balloons and court jesters and other entertainers would inflate the animal bladder and bend it into different shapes for the amusement of royalty and other onlookers. Dancers also used balloons to cover critical body parts and would use small foot pumps to inflate the balloons. Some dancers used balloons as large as 5 feet in diameter.

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