Pajamas and fire - What are the safety standards for pajamas, especially children's sleepwear?
What Does The Consumer Product Safety Commission Say About Children's Sleepwear? Anyone who purchases sleepwear for children should know about the laws regarding fire safety and the flammability of the fabrics used to make children's pajamas.
Are your child's pajamas safe?
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is the government agency responsible for administering the laws and standards for the safety of children's sleepwear (among other things).This can become a complex subject real quick. Here is a link to a 7 page publication called Facts About Fabric Flammability. (Opens in a new window) This brochure is in PDF format and covers the topic very well. It was produced by the North Central Regional Extension and was last revised on July 2003.
Facts about the flammability of fabrics, especially children's sleepwear
Is there a basic list of things to remember if you can't make heads or tails out of a government publication? Here are a few things I gleaned from going over the above mentioned brochure. It's really good information, but not all-inclusive. Here are some of the things I learned:- Most fabric will burn and you don't necessarily need a flame. A heat source will do. Think hot iron left on a shirt too long.
- Most fires involving injury to children start when the child tries to use matches, lighters, candles, smoking materials, etc.
- Never reach over an open flame and teach your children the same. Open flames could be candles, hot coils on a stove, BBQ grills, wood stoves, fireplaces, camp fires.
- The way a fabric burns depends partly on the fiber content. There are no flameproof fibers used in ordinary wearing apparel. Fabrics may be treated after the cloth is manufactured or the fabric may be made of a specific blend rated to be less dangerous. The PDF file linked above provides a chart of fabric types and their burning behavior.
- When fabrics are blended (think polyester/cotton, for example), the blend does not burn the same as either one of the fibers alone. The blend could even be more hazarous than either fiber on its own.
- U.S. Government flammability laws govern wearing apparel, but they do not mean that clothes will not burn. These standards generally mean that you have a little more time to take action such as taking the clothes off or smothering the flames. Many people assume that they are more protected than they really are.
- Loose-fitting, flowing garments (or sleeves, trim, ruffles) are more likely to catch fire than snug-fitting clothes. Many times you will see notations about sizing that indicate this fabric should be purchased to fit snuggly. This is part of the standard of flammability set by the CPSC. A comparison could be made between snug-fitting, short-sleeve cotton pajamas and long-sleeved, full body sleepers with more surface to ignite. The cotton, even though it will burn quickly, might be safer since it will not be as likely to drag through a flame without the knowledge of the person wearing it and might be easier to rip off the body quickly.
- You should read every label on every garment before washing. Some fabric softeners leave a coating that could be adding to the danger of ignition. Some methods of drying may make the pajamas "fluffier" than when tested for flammability.
Know these terms:
| If it Says: | It Means: |
| Flammable Inflammable Combustible |
These three words mean the cloth will burn easily. |
| Fireproof Non-combustible Non-flammable |
These three terms mean the cloth will not burn. |
| Fire resistant Fire Retardant Flame resistant Flame Retardant |
The cloth will be slow to ignite, might burn more slowly, may self-extinguish when the heat source is removed. |
Links to resources in this article:
Iowa State: Extension Publication 174 (external link) This PDF is also linked above for your convenience as an internal link.
Consumer Product Safety Commission Standards for the Flammability of Children's Sleepwear