Helium prices have significantly increased because of the helium shortage and it has become vital in the balloon industry to find alternatives so businesses, retailers, and decorators can still flourish. Air-fill designs are balloon displays that use only air instead of helium.
Qualatex has created a pamphlet dedicated to air-filled designs that are so visually stunning you would forget it was not a helium-filled display. The pamphlet offers ideas on designs with varying levels of difficulty starting from simple air-fill designs to Balloon Buddies designs.
Simple air-fill designs are small and ideal as a tabletop centerpiece. These designs consist of eight 5-inch latex balloons and one 18-inch foil balloon.
- Begin by creating two clusters of balloons and top it off with an 18-inch foil balloon.
- More balloons can be added to a design but if it is being used as a centerpiece for a table, keep the size in mind because it should not be too tall.
- For retailers, do not use too many balloons if a customer is waiting, as you want to be able to move on to the next customer quickly.
Super air-fill designs are similar to simple air-fill designs, but only use four 5-inch latex balloons and four 11-inch latex balloons as the base. After making clusters with the latex balloons, these designs are topped off with a jumbo foil balloon. This balloon design is versatile for any event or entranceways, photoshoots, and much more.
Luxury Air-fill Designs are ideal for customers who need a larger design. They incorporate 5-inch and 11-inch latex balloons, an 18-inch foil or Bubble balloon, and then complemented by a jumbo foil balloon. The bottom of a luxury design mimics a super air-fill design but a 5-inch latex cluster and a jumbo balloon are added to the top.
A 350Q Stand-Ups is a structure where a 350Q balloon acts as the vertical support for an air-fill design. It is topped off with an 18-inch foil balloon, Bubble Balloon, or a twisted topper. The base of these balloons needs to be large enough to support the upper half. To add additional support, add more clusters or heavier weights to the base. The 350Q can also be made shorter for more stability. 350Q Stand-ups can be constructed and sold at retail stores because they are small enough to fit in a customer's car.
A 646Q is the support for 646Q Stand-Ups. 646Q and 350Q Stand-ups can be paired with small air-filled foils and curly entertainer balloons as added decor.
Quick Link Columns are created primarily from Quick Links which provide the support for this design. Tie two Quick Links together and use 5-inch clusters at the joints to provide support. Add a few layers of 12-inch clusters to the base and top it off with a large foil balloon or Bubble Balloon.
Balloon Buddies use balloon clusters, 260Qs Bubble Balloons, and a jumbo foil balloon to create characters such as a friendly lion or a silly clown. Create the characters' feet by using 12-inch and 5-inch clusters at the base. Attach a Bubble Balloon topped by another 5-inch cluster. Get creative and twist some 260Qs to create your Balloon Buddies arms and join with the 5-inch cluster. Top the design off with a balloon face of your choice (eg. lion head, clown face, elephant head). You can adjust any design and add your own personal touch to any and all designs as you see fit.
These balloons do not use metal stands. To keep the balloons weighted, fill a 5-inch balloon with water and tie it to the bottom cluster.
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