CPSC Warns About Flammable Loose-Fitting Garments Used As Children's Sleepwear

November 19, 1998
Release # 99-025

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For Immediate Release;
Contact: Ken Giles
(301) 504-0580 Ext. 1184

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warns people not to put children to sleep in loose-fitting T-shirts or other over-size clothes made from cotton or cotton blends. These garments can catch fire easily and are associated with 200 to 300 emergency room-treated burn injuries to children annually. Loose-fitting clothing stands away from the body, making contact with an ignition source more likely. Loose-fitting, non-flame-resistant clothing allows an air space next to the body that helps keep the fire burning, possibly injuring children.

CPSC Vice-Chairman Thomas Moore said, "It is safer to put your children in flame-resistant or snug-fitting sleepwear, not over-size, loose-fitting cotton or cotton-blend garments."

CPSC sets national safety standards for children's sleepwear flammability. These standards protect children from serious burn injuries if they come in contact with an open flame, such as a match, lighter, or stove burner. The standards have prevented thousands of serious burn injuries since the early 1970s. Under federal safety rules, garments sold as children's sleepwear for sizes larger than nine months and up to size 14 must be either flame-resistant or snug-fitting.

Flame-resistant garments do not continue burning when removed from a small open flame. Snug-fitting garments need not be flame-resistant because they are made to fit closely against a child's body. Their stretchy fabrics make them comfortable. Snug-fitting sleepwear does not ignite easily and, even if ignited, does not burn as rapidly because there is little air under the garment to feed a fire.

Most manufacturers are using hangtags on their snug-fitting sleepwear to tell consumers that the product meets federal safety standards. The hangtags remind consumers that a snug fit or flame resistance is necessary for safety.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission protects the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death from 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC's hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270, or visit CPSC's web site at http://www.cpsc.gov/talk.html. For information on CPSC's fax-on-demand service, call the above numbers or visit the web site at http://cpsc.gov/about/who.html.