TRELLEBORG ENGINEERED COATED FABRICS
It’s a nostalgic scene every American is familiar
with on Thanksgiving Day. Numerous giant
character balloons, oats, novelty and heritage
inatables, performance groups, marching bands,
and singers grace 77th Street and advance their
way to 7th Avenue in front of Macy’s Herald Square
in New York City.
MATERIAL ENGINEERED TO OUTLAST THE
MARCH
Many have never considered the highly technical fabrics
beneath the extraordinary spectacle before them, that
is, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade®. The coated
and laminated fabric used for Macy’s iconic giant
balloons is produced in Monson, Massachusetts, at one
of Trelleborg Coated Systems Inc facilities. Trelleborg
ships the material to the Macy’s Parade Studio in
Moonachie, New Jersey, just across the river from New
York City.
The coated material Trelleborg manufactures is durable,
lightweight, heat sealable, air and helium holding,
pliable, packable, printable, and can withstand weather
conditions and sun exposure in preparation for the
annual ights of the giant characters inatables.
RESISTING THE ELEMENTS
Trelleborg designed the engineered coated fabrics to be
waterproof and UV resistant, which is crucial since the
Macy’s Parade occurs outdoors in all kinds of weather
conditions. The pressure valves that Macy’s builds
into each chamber of the giant character balloons,
along with the UV coating engineered into the material,
ensure the balloons remain fully inated during their
entire journey. The unique UV-resistant coating protects
the material from deterioration while still allowing for a
paintable surface. It enables the balloon to regulate its
temperature prole, which is essential because helium
expands in warm temperatures and contracts in the
cold. If the balloon were to overheat due to an early
chill then an afternoon warming, the helium inside could
expand to the point that it ruptures the balloon chamber.
The giant balloons are made in chambers for several
reasons. Like a piece of clothing, compartments help
create the entire shape of the character one piece
at a time. For example, a balloon chamber could be
the arm, the nose, or the hand of a character. With
chambers, more exact shapes can be created to mirror
the character. They can also isolate the parts that
need more helium to y at the angle designed versus
chambers that could use a combination of helium and
air to have less lift.
RETURN TO SENDER
This year rings in the 95th Parade. While the balloons
are now considered a signature of the event, they did
not appear in the rst three Parades (1924-1926). The
Macy’s Parade of 1927 was the rst to feature balloons
when the beloved iconic character Felix the Cat joined
the lineup as the inaugural character balloon. Felix the
Cat was inated with air and carried on sticks like an
upside-down marionette that rst year. When helium
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Coating Tomorrow’s
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TRELLEBORG COATED MATERIAL IN THE MACY’S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE®
2
TRELLEBORG ENGINEERED COATED FABRICS
was introduced to the balloons in 1929, there was no
plan to deate these massive creations, so Macy’s
Parade organizers let the balloons y o into the
sky—where they would soon land somewhere after the
helium dissipated. Finders who returned them to Macy’s
would receive a gift certicate to the store.
The process looks quite dierent now. Today, once a
balloon makes its 34th Street appearance, it will turn
the corner to meet Macy’s deation team, who will
swiftly ground the balloon and methodically release all
the helium in a matter of minutes. The balloon is then
carefully folded to t in a bin that is a mere fraction of its
size when fully inated.
DEDICATED SUPERFANS
Another integral part of the team is the balloon
handlers. Macy’s describes them as genuine superfans
and considers them among the proudest and most
enthusiastic volunteers in the Macy’s Parade.
A typical giant balloon may have between 80-100
balloon handlers on Thanksgiving Day, along with
a highly-skilled ight management team of 12 who
oversee the ight of each balloon. Many handlers return
year after year for this treasured holiday tradition. The
handlers and the ight teams receive training during
the Spring, Summer, and Fall each year, with a nal
refresher the morning of the event.
Every balloon in the Macy’s Parade is tested and
refurbished yearly to ensure top-ight condition. Even
a tiny pinhole can be detected and sealed to achieve
complete integrity of shape and volume. Occasionally,
paint touch-ups and adjustments to handling lines
are made to ensure the best possible ight position.
The lifespan of any giant balloon depends on many
variables, including weather conditions and sun
exposure.
BALLOON INFLATION CELEBRATION
The Macy’s Parade Balloon Ination Celebration was
for many years one of NYC’s best-kept secrets. Over
the years, there has been a massive increase in the
number of interested New Yorkers and tourists lining up
to catch an up-close glimpse of the giant balloons being
inated on Thanksgiving Eve. Once the balloons are
inated, they are netted and secured to the ground until
Thanksgiving morning, when the
ight management
team and balloon handlers arrive to take the reins.
Whether you’re watching from the streets of New York
or on your televisions at home, enjoy the ultimate
holiday tradition live or on NBC 9 am-noon in all time
zones.
For more information on Trelleborg’s range of custom
coated material solutions, please visit
www.TrelleborgECF.com.
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Coating Tomorrow’s
Innovations
TRELLEBORG COATED MATERIAL IN THE MACY’S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE®