Chemicals in Flame Retardant Pajamas

Though all fabrics can burn, some are much more flammable than others. Cotton, linen, silk and other such natural, untreated fibers burn more easily than wool. Children are especially vulnerable to flammable clothing and can suffer severe burns and even death during a serious fire. In order to protect children and lower the number of injuries and fatalities, standards were created that require children's pajamas to be flame retardant. For many fabrics, achieving this requires the use of chemicals.

History

• In order to protect children from burns, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's Office of Compliance first developed the Children's Sleepwear Regulations in 1971. Polyester fabrics and cotton treated with fire retardants were approved, but untreated cotton fabrics were not. Data showed a significant drop in sleepwear and burn-related deaths among children. In the 1980s and '90s, consumer pressure caused the CPSC to relax the standards to include cotton fabrics as long as they fit snugly. Once used regularly as a flame retardant in clothing, the chemical chlorinated tris has since been removed from children's pajamas due to its toxicity.

Flammability Standards

• The Children's Sleepwear Regulations require sleepwear to be flame resistant and to self-extinguish if it catches fire. The rules apply to children's sleepwear from size 9 months up to size 14. Clothing that meets the flammability standards must pass certain tests or be tight fitting. The regulations are public record and can be seen in the Code of Federal Regulations in Title 16, Parts 1615 and 1616.

Chemicals

• Chemicals used in flame-retardant pajamas are halogenated hydrocarbons (chlorine and bromine), inorganic flame retardants (antimony oxides) and compounds that are phosphate based. Materials requiring chemical processes are nylon, acetate and triacetate. Some fabrics are considered inherently flame resistant and do not require the use of chemicals to meet flammability standards. These include polyester, modacrylic, matrix and vinyon. In these fabrics, fire retardants can be chemically added to the polyester, effectively altering its molecular composition. Fabric undergoing this process is stable and unlikely to be a health risk.

Avoiding Flame Retardants

• Many people wish to avoid fabrics that have been chemically treated to be flame retardant. It is possible to do this and still meet the flammability standards if children's pajamas fit snugly. As loose-fitting clothing catches fire more easily, any fabric that is tight-fitting will decrease the likelihood that a child will suffer severe burns during a fire.