What to Know About Fire Retardant Kids’ Pajamas
When you have kids, you quickly find yourself Googling things you never would have dreamed of back in your pre-parenting years. Is this bug my five-year-old has been letting crawl on his face poisonous? My toddler is drawing on his own tongue in washable marker, is he going to be okay? My kid is trying to put as many pairs of glasses on as he can, that won’t hurt his eyes, will it? Kids have a talent for finding danger where you least expect it, often times faster than their anxious parents can keep up! Dressing your dare-devil kiddos in fire retardant pajamas can help you ease your mind in at least one area and help you sleep better knowing that the little ones are dreaming away in the safest outfits possible. Here’s what you should know about fire retardant kids’ pajamas and why your little troublemakers should be wearing them.
Who Made Pajamas Fire Retardant in the First Place?
This practice was put into law, quite literally, in 1953 when the Federal Trade Commission passed the Flammable Fabrics Act. Prior to this, clothing companies would make sweaters and other items out of rayon, which was highly flammable and caused some accidents in the 40s. In the 60s, the Flammable Fabrics Act expanded its reach to interior furnishings and other flammable items that could be used in making or wrapping apparel. According to this law, pajamas aren’t required to have fire retardant treatment, but must be tight fitting if they don’t so that it is harder for them to catch fire while worn.
Can Fire Retardant Chemicals be Harmful for my Child?
The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission requires that all kids’ clothes use nontoxic materials, and kids’ pajamas are no different. If you are nervous about the flame retardant treatment irritating your kids’ skin, though, you can go without it; just make sure that the jammies your kids wear instead follow the Flammable Fabrics Act’s guidelines for fit. Though sleeping in a big baggy t-shirt may be comfy, the long, draping fabric is more likely to catch fire during sleep. In addition, the flame can be accelerated by pockets of air between the fabric and your child’s skin.
What Pajamas Should I Buy for My Kids?
To put it simply, anything that fits your kids well without being uncomfortable. Girls leggings are a great option because the stretchy material won’t get restrictive and painful if they tend to wriggle around in bed. Leggings are also good heat regulators, keeping you warm when you need it without turning around and overheating you when the furnace kicks on. These can be re-styled into activewear, loungewear, or simply around-the-house-wear when not being used for sleep.
If you’re looking specifically for pajamas, though, the keywords you’re searching for are “snug fit.” Keep an eye out for pajama bottoms that have elastic around the ankles and wrists, and have your kids try on the pairs they like to make sure that there isn’t a ton of baggy fabric hanging about once the pieces are being worn.
When it comes to design, let your kids go wild and choose something that’ll love wearing. If their safest pajamas are ones that they don’t like, you can bet that they’ll stay sitting at the bottom of the kids’ pj drawer not doing any good. Let them accessorize their before bed look with a kids’ robe that’ll keep them snug and comfy as they wind down for the night.
The holiday season is a great time for introducing new safe pajamas and getting festive at the same time! Kids’ flannel pajama pants, as well as the entire matching family Christmas pajamas collection, were designed with winter warmth in mind and will be sure to keep everyone comfortable through even the longest winter nights!