These are the best balloons for making balloon figures.

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What are modeling balloons

Modelling balloons or entertainer balloons are very long balloons and are often used by balloon artists or balloon clowns to fold the famous balloon dogs. But these modeling balloons are also often used in balloon decorations or to keep the children busy during a party.

Start balloon folding

Suppose... You have purchased a starter kit with the following contents: a hand pump, instructions and... some - what look like - modeling balloons.

You think it would be fun to have some fun on your child's birthday and you decide to practice a little beforehand. Following the instructions, you start to inflate the balloon, but it immediately bursts with a loud bang! Bad luck, surely? Hmm... after taking a deep breath you start blowing up another balloon. This time a little slower and more carefully and... with success. Yes! You start folding triumphantly, but - bad luck, surely? - he jumps again. Boohoo! Damn! But you're not one to get discouraged easily, so you try again, and again, and again, and... Until you finally manage to tie the knot in the balloon. Your 2nd Yes moment! When you dive back into the instructions, you start spinning your very first bubble and - bad luck, surely? - he jumps again. Boohoo! You reach for the bag of balloons, and then you realize with horror that the entire package is almost gone and you only have 3 balloons left for your child's party.

To make a long story short... eventually you get completely frustrated and quit - in desperation - because you are completely convinced that balloon folding is not for you and that only a very special breed of people can really do it . But guess what? You just didn't have the right balloon. Yes, you heard right, you didn't have the right balloons!

I know, it's hard to believe that these beautiful sets of modeling balloons are sold with poor quality balloons. But unfortunately that seems to be the norm and the reason is simply commercial; poor quality balloons, or whatever, will always be cheaper to produce than quality balloons.

The best modeling balloons

There are actually very few balloon manufacturers that make good quality modeling balloons. The world leader is Qualatex. Qualatex modeling balloons are made from 100% natural latex and are completely biodegradable. Qualatex modeling balloons are available in 40 colors and 5 sizes. Qualatex modeling balloons are of high quality, have consistent shapes and a long neck for easy tying, and not just for balloon folding.

Another good contender here in Europe is Sempertex. Sempertex, which also offers a wide range of balloons, especially the original link-o-loons. Link-o-loon balloons are knotted balloons that can be attached to each other from both sides. But I digress. If these 2 brands of balloons are not always sold in physical stores, you can easily find and order them on the Internet.

Buy now!

The different sizes of modeling balloons

Modelling balloons are identified by their diameter and by their length: 160, 260, 321, 350, 360, 646, 660, etc. The first number corresponds to the diameter in inches, while the other two correspond to the length in inches (1 inch is 2.54cm).

In other words:

• A 160 modeling balloon - fully inflated - is 1 inch thick and 60 inches long.
• A 260 modeling balloon - fully inflated - is 2 inches thick and 60 inches long.
• A 350 modeling balloon - fully inflated - is 3 inches thick and 50 inches long.

And so on...

A little warning in advance... until you gain more experience, stay away from the transparent colors as they are a bit more fragile. These are identified at Qualatex as Jewel colours. To start with, it is best to stick to the standard and fashion colors.

So in conclusion: Yes you can!

Yes, with the right balloons (and the right instructions) you can fold balloons too.

Above all, have fun!