How to Print Custom Mylar Balloons

Think you’ve decorated it all?

Ha, not even close! You’ve only just begun!

There’s a whole bunch of awesome stuff yet to be printed. Like, mylar balloons, for example.

Now, you might be wondering, what are these things… and… how can you print custom designs on them?

Well, let us walk you through the process and show you.

What Are Mylar Balloons

But first, let’s start with a fun little fact.

Did you know that “Mylar” is actually a brand name?

Turns out, people have been using this term so frequently that now it has become a generic name for balloons made out of polyester film, regardless of the brand.

Talk about brand recognition!

You’ve likely seen them floating around with their vibrant colors and eye-catching designs at a variety of events, such as birthday parties, graduations, or festive get-togethers.

People love mylar balloons for their fantastic qualities.

Unlike traditional latex balloons (that can easily pop or deflate), mylar balloons can stay inflated for days, or even weeks.

Another great feature of mylar balloons is their shiny surface. When light hits them, it bounces right off in a really cool way creating a spectacular shine and shimmer.

This makes them perfect for creating a festive and celebratory atmosphere. You can get them in various sizes, colors, and designs, too, like, animals, stars, or even your favorite cartoon characters.

Step 1: Prepare & Print Your Design

For the first step, you’ll need to decide on the design you want to print on your mylar balloons. It’s YOUR design, so let your imagination run wild here!

Keep in mind, though, the occasion or theme you’re celebrating, and choose a design that matches it. It could be a simple text message, a logo, quote, or a full-blown illustration.

Or… if you’re planning on selling these balloons, consider designs that are popular and appealing to your target audience.

With that said, your chosen design should fit within the available printable area of the balloon.

This is where ‘’Print Optimizer Software’’ comes into play. With it you can adjust things like size, placement, and orientation of your design. So that when the time comes for printing your design is perfectly scaled and rotated for the balloon.

With these edits done, you can now print your design. For this we’ll be using our favorite combo; our trusty DigitalHeat FX printer and Forever Laser Dark transfer paper.

It works like this: first, power up your printer and load the transfer paper into the printer tray. Then, send your design file to the printer. You can do this wirelessly through the local Wi-Fi network or by using a USB stick.

Once everything is set, press the print button and watch how the DigitalHeatFX printer transfers your design onto the A sheet of the Forever Laser Dark transfer paper.

Step 2: Transfer A Sheet to the B Sheet

Now, onto the second step, you will want to take the newly printed design and place it into the heat press machine.

We’re doing this to transfer the design from the A sheet to the B sheet.

So, start by preheating the heat press to the desired temperature. While the heat press is heating up, position the A sheet face down onto the B sheet and cover everything with parchment.

Once the heat press machine has reached the desired temperature, carefully lower the upper platen for whatever duration is recommended by the transfer paper manufacturer.

This combination of heat, time, and pressure will work together to transfer the design from the A sheet to the B sheet.

Once time is up, lift the upper platen of the heat press machine, remove the first layer of the parchment paper, then slowly (but immediately) peel the A sheet away from the B sheet.

And voila — you’ve successfully married both of these papers together!

Next comes the exciting part — transferring your custom design onto the balloon! So, let’s talk about that next.

Step 3: Transfer The Design Onto The Mylar Balloon

Time for heat again.

To transfer the design onto the mylar balloon, you will first need to pre-press the balloon. The process is almost identical to the marrying step we just did a moment ago.

So, take your mylar balloon and place it on the lower platen of the heat press, cover it with parchment paper, and send it under for a few seconds.

Then, open the press, and in between those layers insert your custom design.

Repeat the process… send everything under the heat press for a few seconds… open the press… and allow the balloon to cool down completely before rolling off the transfer.

And just like that, you have successfully made your own mylar balloon!

Now you can do whatever you want with it, sell it as is, store it for later, or inflate to your desired size (using a balloon pump or compressed air) and use it as a decor element.

For one-on-one help simply call 800-891-1094 or live chat with one of our pros!