The process- how balloons get their color
The latex balloon color process is not simple. Balloons are made one at a time. Pigment is added to liquid latex and mixed. Pigments are both organic and inorganic compounds. They absorb certain wavelengths of visible light and other wavelengths are reflected instead.
LATEX BALLOON COLORING PROCESS
Note: the strength of the balloon can be affected by pigment
PEARL BALLOONSÂ
Pearl or metaltone colored latex balloons are created by adding crushed mica.
What is mica?
NOUN
1.a shiny silicate mineral with a layered structure, found as minute scales in granite and other rocks, or as crystals. It is used as a thermal or electrical insulator.
This can make the latex more brittle.
PACKAGING
The balloons are pulled off the forms using a machine. A computer counts the balloons by weight since each color has slightly a different weight. Then the balloons are packaged by a machine.
For bags of assorted colored balloons, a batch of equal quantities of the colors are added. The colors are tumbled together, then they are separated by weight and packaged so there will not be an exact division of colors in each bag. If you need a specific number of balloons in a specific color, it will be better to buy a bag of that color since the number of each color can be guaranteed in each assortment.
WHY DO SOME BALLOONS IN THE SAME BRAND AND SIZE COST MORE?
The difference is price of different colors is due various factors, but includes the price of the coloring agent. Some colors are simply more expensive than other colors. The coloring agents for standard colored latex balloons are less expensive than for crystal colored balloons.