Types of Balloon
Latex Balloons
Made from natural, biodegradable rubber, latex balloons typically float for 8-12 hours when inflated with helium. They have a softer, more organic look, and are available in a wide range of colours and finishes. Because of their flexibility, they are great for balloon bouquets and arches, and large decorative displays.
Foil Balloons
Made from metallic foil, unlike latex balloons, foil balloons are non-porous, which helps them hold helium or air for longer (several days or weeks), have a shiny, metallic appearance featuring detailed designs and vibrant colours, and be shaped in many forms.
Plain vs Printed
The standard size of a foil balloon is 18"/ 46cm in diameter, and the most common shape is round. We have a huge variety of this balloon with printed designs for every birthday, occasion and theme. We also have a wide range of plain shaped foils (in circles, stars, or hearts, in every colour and finish) which can be paired perfectly with printed or shaped balloons in a bouquet, or just on their own!
Orbz
Our very popular Orbz balloons are 16" foil balloons that are a perfectly spherical, beach ball shape, with no seams or wrinkles visible. We have a wide variety of Orbz for all birthdays, occasions and themes. They look stunning as a centrepiece due to their bold, modern design, and can be paired with other foil or latex balloons in a cluster for added WOW effect!
Bubble Balloons
Similar to Orbz in shape, but normally larger (22"). They are made from a clear stretchy plastic (not foil, not latex) and are light and floaty, and more flexible than Orbz. They are usually transparent, often with an 'all-over' print; and can be filled with confetti or feathers, or mini balloons. These are what we use for our personalised design balloons, but we also have lots of pre-printed designs available too.
Cubez & Diamondz
The Cube and Diamond equivalent of an Orbz. A Cubez is a 16" Cube (box-shape) foil balloon with flat sides and sharp edges, and a Diamondz is a 16" Diamond (double pyramid, joined base to base) foil balloon. They are available in solid metallic colours and themed prints.
Supershapes
Supershapes are large foil balloons that are custom die-cut to follow the outline of the design. They are generally larger than standard foil balloons or Orbz, many being 24"-36" tall, making them a stunning standout centrepiece in displays. We have a huge range available for every birthday, occasion and theme, to make a real statement as the 'hero' balloons in any bouquet or display.
'Off the Shelf' Balloon Bouquets
As well as our custom balloon bouquet creations, we also offer a variety of 'Off the Shelf' Bouquets for a range of birthdays, occasions and themes. These typically comprise one Supershape, two 18" printed round foils, and two 18" plain shapes (circles, stars or hearts). All balloons have been carefully chosen to work in perfect combination, and will be sure to create the WOW effect for your celebration!
Airloonz
These are very large (50"+), shaped, air-filled foil balloons that are designed to stand upright on the floor with their own in-built weighted base, with no helium required. They are big iconic statement pieces and can make an amazing photo backdrop!
Airloonz can stay fully inflated for months if topped up with air, so the WOW factor will continue long after the party has ended!
Airwalkers / Walking Pets
These are helium-filled floor level balloons, shaped like an animal or other character, designed to stand upright on their own. They are attached to ribbons or strings and when pulled, the movement gives a 'walking' or gliding effect. Walking Pets have little legs and are available in a range of animals. They are very popular with children as they can walk alongside each other together!
Air-Filled Letters & Kits
These are strings of 14" high letters, like HAPPY BIRTHDAY, or individual letters that you can combine to make your own words / names from. They are air-filled and come with a straw for you to inflate at home, and strings for attachment. They are very quick and easy to inflate, are self sealing, and can be topped up with air at any time.
They can stay fully inflated for months if topped up with air (so you can even have fun re-arranging the letters to make other words after the celebration!)
Top Balloon Tips
Helium-filled or Air-Filled?
Most of our balloons (latex or foil) can be filled with helium or air, unless otherwise specified. Helium floats UP to the sky... so needs to be attached to a weight so you don't lose it forever! Air floats DOWN to the ground, but is ideal for static displays when fixed to something.
Size Matters!
Check the size of the balloon before ordering to ensure it will fit in it's intended space. The balloon sizes stated on our products are always the longest dimension of the balloon. 'Float times' specified apply to when balloons are filled with helium, and balloons are kept in 'ideal conditions' (out of direct sunlight, etc). Orbz float time is the longest due to volume of helium. AirLoonz can stay inflated for months if regularly topped up with air!
Colour Choice
Feeling overwhelmed by choice of colours? Think about the colour scheme of the room the balloons will go in (main colour or accent colours), and choose matching or complimentary colours. If buying for someone else, choose something in their favourite colour!
Not all helium is equal
At-home helium canisters are convenient for when you don't have access to shop-filled helium (eg. if you're travelling and want to inflate balloons at your destination). However this helium is a lower grade than shop helium (which is 100% balloon grade helium), so your balloons won't float as long, and it works out about 30% more expensive per balloon than shop helium (as an example, you can inflate approx 6 Giant Numbers from a £50 canister).
Longer Life Latex
If you're ordering helium-filled latex balloons for an event the next day, we strongly recommend adding 'hi-float' to them. This magic ingredient extends the float time by up to 24 hours! It's just 25p extra per balloon - and you can add this at Checkout.
Look after your Latex!
Latex Balloons should be taken out of their bag as soon as possible (especially if inflated with hi-float, as they need to be surrounded by air for the hi-float to properly dry). Take care when releasing latex balloons onto a ceiling. Some ceilings have tiny specs of debris dried in the paint, which can burst latex balloons. It's best to set them straight onto the ground, attached to a balloon weight.
Take Care of your Foils
All balloons are fragile, so show them some love! Don't leave foil balloons in direct sunlight.
Website vs Reality!
The way the 'flat' 2D website images are displayed don't always do our balloons justice! In reality the balloons will always appear much more vibrant, shinier and fuller! And because of the standard website image size it can be tricky to get an idea of how big the balloon will be (which is why you should always check the measurements in the product description)