Guide
Choosing an inflatables manufacturer
A manufacturer of custom inflatable structures should be able to show projects comparable to yours, with their dimensions, lead times and budgets. Digital Inflatables documents its own, from 3D design to installation: tunnels 7 m tall, built in under 10 days, and stage sets 55 metres long.
Contents · 7 sections
Does the manufacturer design the project in 3D before making it?
For the ZSC, Digital Inflatables presented 3 design proposals in 3D after 2 weeks; for Google, the 3D ideas were approved before production.
For the GSHC, the 3D proposals for the eagle followed the club’s brief.
Does it make the inflatables itself, and with which techniques?
For the ZSC and GSHC tunnels, the workshop laser-cut, sublimation-printed and hand-sewed more than 500 and more than 400 pieces of fabric.
The Buttonscrave giant bag combines two inflation techniques, ventilated air and sealed air.
A similar project? Describe it to our team.
Request a quoteCan it install on site, even at height?
At the Grand Rex, the 6 m tall Minion was installed on the façade with rope access technicians and an aerial work platform.
On the Place de la Bourse in Paris, the three L214 giant chickens were installed in under 1 hour.
For Busan, the workshop also provided the staff for the activation in the streets of Paris.
Which lead times can it meet?
Across these projects: 10 days of production for 4 structures in Sèvres, under 15 days from idea to installation for 20 Google clouds, 3 weeks for Yili.
The details are in the guide to custom inflatable lead times.
Which budgets should you plan?
Across these projects, from under 8’000 CHF for a helium cloud to 150’000 – 200’000 CHF for festival stage sets.
Each project’s budget is in the guide to custom inflatable prices.
Is the inflatable fire-treated?
Ask which treatment is planned for the venue: the Astra Festival moon, hung above a stage, received an M1 fire-retardant treatment.
Has it already worked in Switzerland, in France and abroad?
Digital Inflatables has made projects in Zurich, Geneva, Paris and Sèvres, and also in Los Angeles, in London, at Milano Design Week and in Indonesia.
The making steps are set out in the guide to how custom inflatables are made, and the trade terms in the inflatable structures glossary.
Full specifications
| 3D design, Lion ZSC tunnel | 3 proposals in 3D after 2 weeks |
|---|---|
| Production, Lion ZSC tunnel | more than 500 pieces of fabric, laser-cut, sublimation-printed and sewn by hand |
| High installation, Grand Rex Minion | with rope access technicians and an aerial work platform |
| Lead time, Manufacture de Sèvres | 4 structures produced in 10 days |
| Fire safety, Astra Festival moon | M1 fire-retardant treatment |
| Budget, Head In The Clouds sets | 150’000 to 200’000 CHF |
Frequently asked questions
Where has Digital Inflatables made projects?
In Switzerland, in Zurich and Geneva; in France, in Paris and Sèvres; and also in Los Angeles, in London, at Milano Design Week and in Indonesia.
Does Digital Inflatables handle design and installation?
Yes: for Beaugrenelle, the workshop ran the project from design to installation; for Busan, it also provided the staff.
How long does a custom inflatable take?
Across these projects: under 10 days of production for a tunnel, under 15 days from idea to installation for 20 clouds, 3 weeks for Yili.
Sources
- Digital Inflatables projects page digital-inflatables.com
Drafted with AI assistance from the company’s verified facts, reviewed and approved by Jodoc Elmiger, founder and managing director of Digital Inflatables.
