CPSC's Sleepwear Amendment to Help Reduce Burn Injuries to Children

To reduce burn injuries associated with oversize cotton garments such as T-shirts, sweats and other daywear garments used as sleepwear, CPSC amended the sleepwear standard under the Flammable Fabrics Act. Baggy or loose-fitting cotton or cotton blend garments ignite easily and burn quickly when they contact a flame. Loose-fitting daywear used as sleepwear is associated with 200 to 300 emergency room-treated burn injuries to children annually.

The amendment does not change the existing requirements for loose-fitting garments, which must continue to be flame-resistant. Parents can still choose polyester and other synthetic garments that are inherently flame-resistant. CPSC encourages parents not to put children to bed in loose-fitting cotton garments such as oversize T-shirts, but to choose safe sleepwear alternatives.

The Commission's amendment to the children's sleepwear standard under the Flammable Fabrics Act permits for sale as children's sleepwear 1) natural fabric garments in sizes nine months or lower because infants who wear these sizes are insufficiently mobile to expose themselves to sources of fire, and 2) snug-fitting natural fabric garments in sizes above nine months because tighter-fitting garments are less likely to be ignited and they burn slowly.

This amendment enables consumers who prefer to put their children to bed in cotton garments to choose safer, snug-fitting garments rather than loose-fitting daywear, such as T-shirts and sweats. The snug-fitting sleepwear contacts the skin at all points to protect children from burn injuries. Snug-fitting sleepwear is not easily ignited, and even if it ignites, it burns slowly and may self-extinguish because of a lack of oxygen to support the flame. CPSC has found no burn injuries associated with snug-fitting garments.

Retail stores are starting to carry the new snug-fitting garments in the sleepwear section of the store, along with the traditional flame-resistant sleepwear.

CPSC wants to work with fire fighters, pediatricians, retailers and manufacturers to make parents aware of the importance of putting their children to bed in snug-fitting or flame-resistant sleepwear to keep them safe from burn injuries.

The vote on amending the standard was two to one with Commissioners Thomas Moore and Mary Sheila Gall voting in the majority, and Chairman Ann Brown voting in the minority.