What B-Loony does

B-Loony Ltd is a UK-based manufacturer of custom-branded promotional products, founded in 1978 and headquartered in Chesham, Buckinghamshire. The company designs and prints an unusually broad in-house range that includes bunting, handwaving flags, food flags, paper hats, paper windmills, pizza savers, printed balloons, selfie props, phone stands, promotional sashes, store opening ribbon, clothing & apparel, and its signature BalloonGrip® cardboard balloon holder. Its flagship proprietary product, BalloonGrip®, is patented in the UK, EU, and US and has sold over 10 million units worldwide as a sustainable alternative to plastic balloon sticks; the Helium-Saving Valve (HSV™), launched in 2016, reduces helium consumption by up to 30%. The business also operates a nationwide balloon-decoration installation service and a helium-cylinder rental program alongside direct-to-consumer e-commerce (shop.b-loony.co.uk) and a separate merchandise storefront (bloonypromo.co.uk).

The company is employee-owned through an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) and employs 101–250 people. It serves enterprise customers across retail (Dreams, Lindt), beverage/alcohol (Absolut Vodka), quick-service restaurants (McDonald's), betting/entertainment (Paddy Power), and non-profits (Barnardo's), with primary verticals being retail/high street brands, restaurants & hospitality, events agencies, and betting/entertainment. Pricing is quote-based for custom branded orders (per-item plus artwork/tooling/set-up, quotations valid 30 days) with standard products sold at unit prices through e-commerce; helium rental is structured as annual subscription packages and ad-hoc rentals. The company targets a 28-day delivery from artwork approval and differentiates on the strength of its certification stack (ISO 9001, ISO 14001, FSSC 22000, FSC™ C177304, PEFC, SEDEX/SMETA, EN71 Toy Safety) and BPMA/EOA/EBPC memberships.

Recent strategic activity signals a pivot toward plastic-free and broader sustainable merchandise: in October 2025 the company discontinued plastic balloon valves, in May 2025 it launched an in-house handheld mask production line, and in 2026 it received the Plastic Free Award from Surfers Against Sewage. Go-to-market combines an enterprise "Get a Quote" sales motion, a self-serve e-commerce storefront, trade/wholesale accounts, professional installation services, and trade-show participation (PSI Dusseldorf), supported by HubSpot, Google Ads, paid social, SEO/content, and multi-platform organic social.

Name

B-Loony

Legal name

B-Loony Ltd

Website

https://b-loony.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

B-Loony Ltd is a UK-based, employee-owned manufacturer (est. 1978) of custom-printed promotional products — including bunting, flags, balloons, food flags, paper merchandise, and its patented BalloonGrip® cardboard balloon holder — serving enterprise retail, restaurant, events, and entertainment brands across the UK and Ireland with quote-based custom orders, nationwide balloon-installation services, and e-commerce.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Promotional Products Manufacturing

NAICS

Doll, Toy, and Game Manufacturing (339930)

SIC

Costume Jewelry & Novelties (3960)

akta.pro primary industry

Balloon Decor & Installations (HSACAOAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Party Favors, Gifts & Custom Merchandise (HSACACAM)

Keywords

• Custom promotional products
• Branded balloons
• Printed bunting
• Paper promotional items
• Balloon decorations

Headquarters

HQ city

Chesham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Custom Branded Promotional Products: Core revenue stream from manufacturing and selling custom-printed promotional products including bunting, flags, balloons, paper hats, windmills, and novelty items. Products are printed to order with customer branding. Pricing is quote-based for custom orders with per-item rates plus artwork and setup charges.
2. Balloon Decoration Installation Services: Professional installation of balloon arches and decorations for retail stores, events, and promotional campaigns. Includes nationwide multi-site rollout capability with single point of contact for logistics. Revenue generated through installation service fees.
3. Helium Gas Rental: Rental of helium gas cylinders through two models: annual Gas Packages with discounted cylinder exchanges, and ad-hoc rental cylinders. Cylinders remain property of the gas company; B-Loony acts as authorised distributor.
4. Standard Product E-commerce: Direct consumer and trade sales through shop.b-loony.co.uk for standard products like BalloonGrip boxes, with prices from £54.00 per 1000 units.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

B-Loony manufactures and supplies custom-printed promotional products — including bunting, flags, balloons, paper hats, windmills, food flags, pizza savers, selfie props, and sashes — at its in-house UK facility. The company also provides professional balloon decoration and arch installation services, bespoke product development, fulfilment, and helium gas cylinder rental. Its signature BalloonGrip® is a patented cardboard balloon holder with over 10 million units sold worldwide.

Product overview

B-Loony is a UK-based manufacturer of custom branded promotional products established in 1978, operating as an employee-owned company. The product portfolio includes core promotional items (Bunting, Handwaving Flags, Doodleflag® Colouring-In Flags, Food Flags, Handheld Masks, Paper Hats, Paper Windmills, Pizza Savers, Printed Balloons, Selfie Props, Phone Stands, Promotional Sashes, Store Opening Ribbon, Clothing & Apparel) alongside their signature patented BalloonGrip® eco-friendly balloon holder. Services include professional Balloon Decorations (balloon arch installations with nationwide rollout capability), Fulfilment, and Product Development. The company also offers Helium Gas & Cylinder rental through gas packages and ad-hoc rental models. All products are manufactured in-house at their UK facility, with sustainability credentials including FSC™ certification, eco-friendly materials, and plastic-free options.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BalloonGrip®: Eco-friendly, recyclable balloon holder made from PAP21 paperboard designed to securely hold inflated latex balloons without plastic sticks.
• DoodleFlag®

Products and services

• BalloonGrip® Engineered cardboard balloon holder made from PAP21 paperboard that securely grips inflated latex balloons without plastic sticks. Fully recyclable with domestic paper and card. Over 10 million units sold worldwide. Registered trademark and patented in UK, EU, and US.
• Bunting Custom-printed promotional bunting available in triangular, rectangular, and rounded shapes. Includes bespoke bottle-shaped designs, plastic-free options, and weatherproof varieties for outdoor use.
• Handwaving Flags Paper-based promotional flags designed for handwaving at events, giveaways, and retail promotions. Includes large-format stadium flags for venues and fan zones. EN71 Toy Safety tested.
• Doodleflag® Colouring-In Flags Interactive colouring-in flags that allow children to customise their own flags. Designed for restaurant activities, events, and engagement promotions.
• Food Flags Custom-branded food-safe flags used on burgers, sandwiches, and other food items to showcase branding, promote menu items, or highlight allergens. FSSC 22000 certified for food-contact safety.
• Handheld Masks Paper-based handheld masks for Halloween, events, and promotional giveaways. Available in spooky themes, can be custom-branded for marketing campaigns. EN71 Toy Safety tested.
• Paper Hats Custom-printed paper hats for events, celebrations, and promotional giveaways. Suitable for children's activities and branded merchandise.
• Paper Windmills Promotional paper windmills (BrandSpinner) made entirely of recyclable paper. Available in rainbow colours or custom-printed with branding. Used for Pride events and eco-friendly promotions.
• Pizza Savers Cardboard pizza savers (table tents) that hold pizza slices upright in boxes. Registered design protection in UK, EU, and US markets.
• Printed Balloons Custom-printed natural rubber latex balloons and foil balloons. Available in standard and Halloween-themed colours (black, orange, purple, green). Suitable for indoor and outdoor use.
• Selfie Props Paper-based selfie props and photo booth accessories for events, promotions, and social media engagement. Customisable with branding.
• Phone Stands Custom-printed cardboard phone stands for promotional giveaways and branded merchandise. Registered design protection in UK market.
• Promotional Sashes Custom-printed promotional sashes for events, store openings, and marketing campaigns. Available for Pride events and branded promotions.
• Store Opening Ribbon Ceremonial ribbons for store openings and grand openings. Custom-printed with branding for launch events.
• Clothing & Apparel Custom-printed clothing and apparel items for promotional merchandise and branded workwear.
• Balloon Decorations Service Professional balloon decoration service including custom balloon arch installations, swirl arches, block colour arches, organic balloon arches, and custom shape arches. Includes nationwide multi-site rollout support with design, delivery, installation, and removal.
• Fulfilment Service Order fulfilment service for promotional products, handling production and delivery coordination for trade customers and enterprise campaigns.
• Product Development Service Custom product development service for bespoke promotional products, including custom shapes and unique designs for specific campaign requirements.
• Helium Gas & Cylinder Rental Helium gas supply and cylinder rental service including Gas Packages (annual deals) and Ad-hoc Rental Cylinders. Startup Package available with annual cylinder rental, helium cylinder, and inflation kit.
• Helium-Saving Balloon Valve (HSV™) Valve inserted into a balloon neck that draws air into the balloon simultaneously with helium inflation, saving up to 30% helium gas. Includes pre-attached ribbon and is EN-71 Toy Safety tested.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 10 million BalloonGrip units sold worldwide
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Pioneer Balloon Company (Qualatex): North American premium balloon manufacturer and the dominant latex and foil balloon brand globally. Highly comparable as the upstream balloon manufacturer and supplier competing with B-Loony's printed balloon product line.
• PCS Promotional Concepts: UK-based promotional products manufacturer and distributor offering custom branded merchandise including printed paper and novelty items. Closely comparable as a UK SME promotional products manufacturer.
• Brand Addition: UK-based promotional products distributor and manufacturer offering custom branded merchandise to major enterprise customers. Directly comparable in product range, B2B quote-based sales motion, and enterprise customer focus.
• CTI Industries Corporation: US-listed manufacturer of balloons and balloon-related consumer products. Directly comparable in latex and foil balloon manufacturing, custom printing, and balloon decoration services.
• Everything Branded: UK promotional products distributor offering custom branded merchandise to trade and enterprise customers. Comparable in product range (custom-branded items, quote-based ordering) and target customer segments in retail and hospitality.
• 4imprint Group plc: LSE-listed promotional products merchant and direct competitor in printed balloons, custom branded merchandise, and trade-distribution promotional products. Highly comparable product mix and target customers (UK and North America enterprise accounts).
• Anagram International: Major US-based foil balloon manufacturer and supplier of balloon decoration products. Comparable as a specialist balloon manufacturer serving retail and party/event channels.
• Promise Promotional Products: UK and UAE-based promotional products distributor with UK distribution centre. Direct competitor in custom branded merchandise, serving enterprise and trade customers with comparable product scope.

Broad incumbents

• PF Concept International: European promotional products supplier and producer with a broad catalogue of branded merchandise. Comparable as a larger promotional products player operating across Europe with overlapping product and customer categories.

Emerging players

• Storm Ideas (Storm Promotional Products): UK-based promotional products supplier offering custom branded merchandise and corporate gifts. Comparable in the UK promotional products B2B space with a focus on digital and sustainability-led product offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/bloonyltd
• Xx.com/bloonyltd

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about B-Loony