The Vibrant Role of Colour in Foam Products on International Day of Colour

Evoking Safety and Fun: The Pivotal Role of Colour in Foam Products

One often underappreciated component of foam product design is the spectrum of colour used across foam products. Colours extend far beyond mere aesthetics in the foam industry; they’re key in ensuring objects stand out, blend in, or simply evoke a range of emotions. Leaning into colour theory isn’t just for artists.  The foam industry, a master of versatile material, uses the palette like an artist’s brush, bringing safety, vibrancy, and purpose-driven design to life. And as we mark International Day of Colour, we celebrate the kaleidoscope of shades that enrich our dynamic sector.

Why Colour in Foam Matters More Than You Think

Colours evoke emotions, and when strategically harnessed, they do much more than just please the eye. From a psychological perspective, bright neon hues spell excitement and softer pastels whisper calm. Even beyond the psychological perks, standout colours in foam products serve practical purposes, such as safety and visibility enhancements. The most popular colours in foam are yellow, blue and green.

The Playfully Profound Palette

Colours in foam products aren’t restricted to caution and visibility; they also breathe life into recreational and educational items. Researchers have long studied the effect of colour in play. Studies have shown that vibrant shades can enhance our moods, stimulate playful behaviour, and even encourage learning. From 3D play shapes in children’s museums to frog swim floats for swimming classes, we’ve worked on a diverse range of projects at Kewell Converters, all where colour has been pivotal.

Through collaborations with artists like Pippa Hale, we see how polyethylene foam shapes aren’t just playthings but are a fusion of safety and sensory stimulation. Designing and producing a multitude of bright foam shapes, we helped create an interactive exhibition at BALTIC Centre For Contemporary Art and York National Railway Museum using Plastazote®. These are not just fun and games; they’re designed to foster play and learning and enhance creativity.

And it doesn’t stop there. Our years of crafting safety-inducing brightly coloured frog swim floats for sports and leisure wholesalers have shown that the strategic use of vivid yellows and greens ensure these products are easily noticeable against the blue serene of a pool, assuring both enjoyment and safety.

The Chromatic Chronicles of Playground Designs

For parks and leisure installations, colour doesn’t just attract – it also guides. A mix of yellow and green climbing grips can signal a route for beginners, while a deeper red might hint at a challenge for the more adventurous spirit. Red is also the first colour babies see. It’s strategic design where colour informs, entertains, and, most importantly, keeps users safe.

Spotting the Importance of Colour on Construction Sites

Ever thought about why scaffold guards are usually yellow? It’s because in the hard-hat world of construction, visibility is key to safety. Those brightly coloured pieces play an important role in preventing accidents and ensuring the wellbeing of workers.

Foam—Where Art Meets Functionality

Foam products might seem mundane, but they are canvases for colour and technological innovation, showcased in stunning art displays and culturally rich events – think carnival costumes and puppets, which we’ve had the privilege of helping bring to life in collaboration with Mandinga Arts at the Queens Jubilee celebrations. Mandinga Arts creates extraordinary and innovative artistic experiences using custom-made costumes and puppets. Kewell Converters helped supply foam sheets which were used as the foundation for creating jaw dropping foam sculptures and installations. These colours didn’t just accent the foam – they became the foam, shaping an entire experience that will be remembered for generations to come.

The Logics Behind the Luminescence

Choosing the right colour for a foam product isn’t guesswork – it’s a balance of science and intuition. UV resistance in outdoor items like swim floats or bike helmets means their colour must not fade. Additionally, the choice of colour can amplify or dampen heat retention, an important consideration for foam insulated containers.

Infrared Friendly Foam Colours

For thermally insulated foam products, the right choice of colour can mean the difference between keeping content cool or turning it into a mini oven. While black absorbs heat, the lighter shades reflect it.

The Monochrome Mastery of Medical Foam

In the realm of health, the monochrome spectrum reigns, with white especially evoking a sense of cleanliness and tranquillity in medical foam products—truly, an orchestration of colour that nurtures both physical well-being and mental comfort.

Crafting a Coloured Identity

Colours go beyond the surface; they articulate brand values and create recognisable identities. In an industrial setting, where products speak through their utility, a company’s signature hue could signify quality and origin.

Technicolour Technology

The advancement in dyeing technologies allows for a broader spectrum of choices, giving designers unprecedented creative freedom. It enables them to push boundaries and innovate, making colour in products like shadow foams both functional and aesthetic.

A Coloured Conclusion

International Day of Colour celebrates the myriad ways colours enrich our lives, often in ways we may take for granted. In the foam industry, each shade is a carefully considered stroke in a larger canvas of safety, creativity, and identity. It’s a world where colour isn’t just seen; it’s experienced and, not infrequently, saved by its own visibility. The next time you reach for a foam product, think about the rich narrative a simple colour choice can unfurl. From the signal it offers to the warm, inviting feel it imparts, the role of colour is a spectrum of story, and in the world of foam, it’s a tale well worth telling.

Here’s to the foam industry and the vibrant canvas it continues to paint, one product at a time, harnessing the power of the staple red, blue, or yellow foam block.

Read more on playground equipment and World Engineering Day Insights with our MD.