From customer idea to production
1. Share your idea. Send a creative sketch, reference image or rendering. A finished design is not required; our design team can develop the concept with you.
2. Handmade mock-up development. Our designers create a handmade mock-up to develop the proposed balloon form.
3. Review and refine. Review the handmade mock-up for dimensions, shape and print placement. Request changes or confirm the design before tooling begins.
4. Prepare tooling and printing plates. After mock-up approval, we make the production mold and printing plates.
5. Produce a machine-made sample. We use production equipment to make the pre-production sample for customer review.
6. Approve the pre-production sample. The customer reviews and confirms the sample before bulk production.
7. Bulk production. We manufacture to the approved sample and agreed specifications.
Custom size range and maximum mold dimensions
We manufacture custom foil balloons in sizes from 5 to 75 inches. Agree the required dimensions for the selected shape and identify whether measurements refer to the flat or inflated balloon. The conventional number-balloon conversion table does not predict the inflated dimensions of a new custom shape.
The maximum size we can manufacture is 194 × 158 cm, measured before inflation (mold dimensions). This is not the inflated size; the finished inflated dimensions depend on the balloon shape and should be checked on the sample.
Material and thickness recommendations
PET/PE and PA/PE (Nylon/PE) material structures are available. Our team recommends a suitable material and thickness based on the design, size and customer requirements. Thickness options specified for conventional number balloons remain specific to that range.
Begin with the intended inflated result
Define the intended appearance from the front, side and back, not only the flat silhouette. Identify details that must remain recognizable after inflation: a face, a logo, a narrow arm, a number opening or a standing pose.
Keep flat dimensions and target inflated dimensions separate. The size conversion confirmed for the multicolor number range cannot be reused as a universal scale factor for a new shape.
Use a structural sample to assess geometry
An unprinted structural sample can help assess whether the outline forms the intended volume. Inspect overall proportions, narrow connecting areas and how separate-looking parts fill. Where relevant, assess how the inflated shape rests or hangs.
Our designers prepare the handmade mock-up before production tooling. The customer reviews dimensions, shape and print placement, with revisions as needed before approval.
Assess artwork on the three-dimensional surface
Check where important details appear after the panels curve. A face that looks centered on a flat drawing may need review on the inflated sample. Keep artwork positioning and physical color approval as separate checks.
Inspect text, logos and pattern transitions near folds and seams. Use the actual sample rather than promising an unconfirmed numerical allowance for all designs.
Review filling behavior without overinflating
A complex shape should be assessed using its intended filling instructions. Anagram’s manufacturer guide illustrates that filling technique matters for shaped balloons, including avoiding damage while smaller sections fill. It does not establish an inflation setting for UNDALO.
If a section fails to form as expected, review geometry and filling behavior instead of assuming that more gas will solve it. Follow the inflation instructions for the selected model.
Confirm the finished sample as a whole
Review the outline, dimensions, print placement, color, seam appearance and valve together. Separate a structural change from a print-only change so that the relevant part of the sample is checked again.
Frequently asked questions
Can artwork approval replace an inflated sample?
No. A flat proof checks artwork content and layout; an inflated sample is needed to assess the finished shape and placement on the curved surface.
Can the number-balloon size table predict a new shape?
No. The confirmed flat-to-inflated pairs belong to that number-balloon range, not every new outline.
Does a malformed section always need more inflation?
No. Review the intended filling method and the shape itself. Do not exceed product-specific inflation instructions to correct an unexplained shape issue.
Do I need a finished design to start?
No. A creative sketch, reference image or rendering is enough to begin. Our design team develops the handmade mock-up and supports the project through pre-production sampling.