I wonder who is responsible for the cooking. Does Qualatex get the latex pre-cooked?
No. The “cooking” is done after the dipping. In the Qualatex-published book “Design” by Gary Wells, they state that: “Qualatex balloons are made from 100% latex. No fillers or substitutes are used.” From Introduction to Material Science for Engineers, Shackelford, MacMillan Publishing Co, NY, 1985 A filler is added to strengthen a polymer primarily by restricting chain mobility. (“chain” is short for “polymer chain” or molecule) It provides dimensional stability and reduced cost…. Roughly one third of the typical automotive tire is a filler (carbon black). Design also states: “Pioneer compounds its own latex and blends its own inks and dyes”. From Introduction to Material Science for Engineers, Shackelford, MacMillan Publishing Co, NY, 1985 Dyes are soluble organic colorants that can provide transparent colors… A pigment is an insoluble colored material added in powdered form.