The HX Blog

As a regular reader of our blog, you may be able to spot the truth from fiction very easily. If you're not sure or you're surprised by the answer, then you'll want to check out the dedicated blog post for that topic. Ready to test your knowledge? Let's go! 1. Mini-loons can be inflated with helium Verdict: Mostly false Many people reasonably believe that all balloons are designed to float. However, this is not the case with mini-loons. If you're unfamiliar with this term, allow me to define it simply. Mini-loons are foil balloons typically seen on sticks and included in flower arrangements. Though some are larger, they're known for ranging between 2" and 16" in size. They're available in several shapes and designs like most balloons. Recently, they've become more popular for the assortment of letters, numbers and words they're available in. Pinterest and Instagram have highlighted these trends and it's not uncommon to see these ...

It's no secret, in our industry, that helium is used to fill party balloons for decorative purposes. And, as we all know, balloons float as a result of helium being lighter than air. However, most people don't realize where helium comes from or how it's used outside of the party industry. Helium is formed by decay of radioactive elements and is extracted as a byproduct of natural gas. Many may be aware of the helium shortage from a couple years ago, and it's said another 'shortage' may be around the corner. Luckily, a new helium source was recently discovered and this should help with future supply. Keep in mind that it will take time to allocate the resources and draw up contracts with different helium manufacturers. So how is helium used? Well, besides making balloons float, helium is widely used in the medical, meteorological and laser technology sectors, to name a few. MRI machines use helium to cool the superconducting magnets. Meteorological balloons ...