Baby clothes that aren't heat/flame resistant. Would you buy them?

KateLouise

I'm in NZ and I always thought that legal safety requirements meant babies clothes had to be heat/flame resistant.

I went looking at clothes today and lots of them had big warning labels stiched into them: Warning: this item is not heat/flame resistant. Keep at least one metre from heater"

Now if it's for a young baby, ie it's not moving on it's own, do I need to worry? I'm not planning on putting my baby down on top of the heater. Or should I look for other clothes?

These clothes were at a big well known department store, so not some scummy back street warehouse.

Thoughts? 

liv97

How do they make them flame resistant?  I'd be more worried about all the chemicals than the odd chance that baby catches fire.  I'm sticking to natural and organic as much as possible, I know wool is flame resistant, but other than that,  I would actively avoid anything that has been treated with chemicals to be flame free, but that's just me. 

mlf625

I don't buy DS heat resistant PJs. ?The material is ick and I'm just not all that concerned about him starting on fire during the night.

EmmieB

I think you're safe. Just don't put your baby to sleep on top of the radiator.

Tonya_G

I think the only time you have to worry about it is in pj's- I typically buy cotton ones anyway, that fit snugly to the body, or fleece for the winter, which is flame retardant by nature. I guess if something flat out said it can't be near a heater though- I might just say no- what type of fabric is it made of anyway, that it's going to light up if it's a meter away from a heater!

KateLouise

Yeah the metre away from the heater thing got me too. I have visions of a baby going up in a ball of flames :-)

Good point about the chemicals used to make clothes flame restardant. I hadn't thought it through, but actually it's a relaly obvious point.

I hadn't actually really thought about flame resistance it was just these great big warning labels made me think, "Why am I being warned? What am I not udnerstanding?"

Maybe some parents really do put their babies down on top of heaters?? 

 

fiftysixty

If my baby is within 1 metre of flames, or heat that will make fabric combust, I think I have bigger problems to worry about.

I'd prefer to buy flame resistant/retardant bedding, furniture, or toys... but not clothes. Too many needless chemicals, IMHO.

monksmama

We don't worry about flame resistance in his PJs, I just make sure to take his Marlboros and Zippo away from him before putting him to bed.

 

I get it in theory - but honestly if a flame is close enough to your kid to light his cotton PJs on fire - you both have much bigger problems than that KWIM?

I know polyester is flame retardant - and that cotton PJs are supposed to fit snugly to effect flamability, but I wouldn't buy or not buy something based on that alone.  JMO.

CKLee1107

I am not too worried about it...Really, baby when not moving is more at risk from smoke than flames....

ablou

This is what I learned in my Textiles class:

in the US, baby sleepers are required to be treated with a fire retardant.  It washes out after about 50 washes.  The reason is because babies are helpless in their cribs, and in the case of a fire, fire retardant sleepers can save their lives, instead of having them burn to death in the bed. 

bbowie

I avoid flame-resistant clothing.  I don't like the chemicals.