# fireproof pajamas?!



## sosurreal09 (Nov 20, 2009)

DD just turned one and she needed footy pjs (fleece ones) so i put it on her birthday list....she got lots of pjs but they ALL say firesafe...doesnt that mean they are pumped with chemicals?!
we never had that label on anything before...

alot do not have tags so are not returnable...so is there a way to get the chemicals out?

the brands we got are carter's and calvin klein if that means anything...


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## DahliaRW (Apr 16, 2005)

It depends. A lot of times the fleece ones are that way simply because they are fleece and not cotton. Cotton ones that say that are treated with chemicals for sure.


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## leighi123 (Nov 14, 2007)

Close fitting pj's are also considered 'fire safe', but can be made of any fabric.


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## lach (Apr 17, 2009)

Legally children's pjs MUST be fire safe. They can get that way by:

1) Being polyester
2) Being cotton and heavily treated
3) Being cotton and so tight fitting that you wonder how the kid can breathe.

It's not a 100% certainty, but if the fabric is non-cotton, or the style is very fitted, then it probably isn't treated.


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## DBZ (Aug 9, 2005)

Rule of thumb is that is the PJs are made of man made material then they will be treated with chemicals. If they are loose fitting they will be made fire retardent. If they are made of natural fibers and are tight fitting then there is usually no chemicals. Brand is irrelevant. Now if you buy them off of hyenacart or etsy then they are probably safe (no chemicals), but I would ask to be sure.


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## DBZ (Aug 9, 2005)

I didn't know that about polyester. I remember when I was a kid I was wearing a polyester shirt and leaning against a stove. My shirt goto too close to the heat and melted (not on my skin though).

Here is a website about flame resistant sleep wear. http://www.essortment.com/family/fla...stant_sknw.htm


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## Chamomile Girl (Nov 4, 2008)

There was a thread on this topic awhile ago where a mama called Carters and asked about their fleece jammies and they said that they did not treat them with flame retardant chemicals, but that fleece is flame resistant "naturaly'".


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## TheGirls (Jan 8, 2007)

Fleece pajamas are not usually treated with anything because fleece is already considered fire retardant. Cotton jammies are usually treated unless they have a warning label saying they are not treated and should be worn tight-fitting. I usually buy the cotton ones, but get about a size too big because otherwise they are silly tight. And we don't have any sources of open flame in the house at night and DD sleeps with us so I'm really not concerned about her pajamas suddenly catching fire in the night.


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## April Dawn (Oct 31, 2009)

We have found it impossible to find pajamas made of natural fabrics that aren't soaked in chemicals (except for the ones that are so tight we have to wrestle them onto him). DS breaks out if he wears synthetic fabrics, I don't want to risk exposure to flame-retardant chemicals, and the super-tight cotton PJs that aren't treated don't seem comfy. So, since what I really wanted for him was loose fitting cotton pjs, I just bought him soft, comfy tshirts and light weight sweatpants for sleeping in. Carter's makes some nice plain shirts with no tag to itch and lightweight pants; that's what he usually sleeps in.


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## sosurreal09 (Nov 20, 2009)

DD wont snuggle in the blanket with me and she always ends up freezing thats why i get the fleece. the inside tags say flame resistent. so its just b/c its naturally resistent? i tried searching before i posted and nothing showed up...idk if im doing it wrong...?


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## Llyra (Jan 16, 2005)

I buy the untreated cotton pjs (like from Carter's, or Costco's Kirkland brand)-- the ones that say they have to be tight-fitting. Only I buy them two sizes too big, so that they fit reasonably. Or I buy sweat pants and cotton undershirts. I don't worry too much about fire safety with pjs-- I'm far more worried about the cumulative effect of so much exposure to chemicals and plastics.

OP-- I agree that I'm pretty sure the fleece ones aren't treated with chemicals.


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## henny penny (Mar 26, 2008)

Hanna Andersson has organic, non-treated 100% cotton pjs that are well fitting and so soft and yummy. We ask for those at Christmas. The dc don't need any more toys but do need non-toxic jams! Ruskovilla makes gorgeous wool and silk jams (wool is naturally resistant) found at Nova Naturals. Spendy but will last through a couple kids.


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## nia82 (May 6, 2008)

I didnt know that about fleece, but we only do cotton here anyways. If it is treated, it has to be labeled as such. Polyester (such as the sleep sets sold at target) is treated, as when it catched fire, it melts and can cause terrible burns on your skin. But who would want to wear poly anyways, it's a sweatsuit!!!
Carter's sells some untreated cotton PJs, even Walmart has organic cotton PJs that are untreated.


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## kindchen (Dec 8, 2008)

Does anyone have a good link about fleece being fire retardant? My understanding is that fleece is made of polyester, which is highly flammable, and that is why the chemical flame retardants are needed in the first place. Now I'm tempted to go outside and burn some old fleece pants or something to see what happens. Science experiment, anyone?


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## fruitfulmomma (Jun 8, 2002)

Yeah, I am pretty sure poly fleece is going to melt (poly is a type of plastic) and should therefore be treated with the chemicals.

Real wool fleece is fire retardant and will not melt or flame up.

ETA: I did use a lighter on one of my daughter's dresses a few months ago to seal the edge of a ribbon and it definitely melted. It is poly.


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## kindchen (Dec 8, 2008)

Okay, I just did some research, since I've been wondering about the pjs for a while. Here's the thing: the poly fleece pjs are not chemically treated with a flame retardant, instead the flame-retardant properties are actually added to the fibers of the polyester when it is made. That is why a retailer can claim that the poly material itself is inherently flame-retardant.

So, it is true that polyester fabrics will melt when exposed to flame. All synthetic pjs and loose-fitting cotton pjs sold in the US have flame retardants added. However, fleece poly pjs can have the flame retardants added to the fibers of the poly during the manufacturing process, and therefore are not "chemically treated."

I have no idea whether or not adding the fire retardant properties to the fiber of the poly material is safer than chemically treating the finished fabric or not. I wonder if they also do that so the fire resistance doesn't wash out over time?

The only pajamas that do not contain flame retardants of any kind are the tight fitting cotton ones that specify on the tag that they are not fire resistant.

Here is a link: http://www.5minutesforgoinggreen.com...drens-pajamas/

It isn't a fabulously reliable source, but what she is saying makes a lot of sense to me.


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## sosurreal09 (Nov 20, 2009)

so im basically screwed with the pjs she has? lol


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## OkiMom (Nov 21, 2007)

My girls usually wear a regular T-shirt to bed or T-shirt with some sweats/shorts. Im not to worried about them since there are no open flames around the house and they sleep either with me or 5 steps away from me.


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## tanyalynn (Jun 5, 2005)

Soap (real soap, not detergent) will wash off some of the chemicals used to flameproof pajamas, and washing in hot with with washing soda (a whole lot, like a box for a load of laundry) will reduce some of the heavy metals used to flameproof.


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## Astrid1024 (Jan 16, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *TheGirls* 
Fleece pajamas are not usually treated with anything because fleece is already considered fire retardant. Cotton jammies are usually treated unless they have a warning label saying they are not treated and should be worn tight-fitting. I usually buy the cotton ones, but get about a size too big because otherwise they are silly tight. And we don't have any sources of open flame in the house at night and DD sleeps with us so I'm really not concerned about her pajamas suddenly catching fire in the night.









I was just going to say that we have two pairs of 100% jammies that say "Wear snug fitting, not flame resistant" which I took to mean they weren't doused in chemicals. I was joking with my husband that I was not concerned my son would spontaneously catch fire during the night when he was cosleeping with us...


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## AKislandgirl (Jun 2, 2008)

We love Hanna Andersson PJ's for this reason. So soft. I've bought some great used pairs in their older looser style from Diaper Swappers (so excited to see their clothing section!). I have some of the current style for her as well and they even fit with her bulky night diaper.


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## Diane B (Mar 15, 2004)

Disclaimer: We are very careful, as much as we can, to limit our daughter's exposure to toxic substances. We eat organic food, use non-toxic cleaning products, etc. etc.

That said, I am a little concerned about the number of comments on this thread about how your children are unlikely to "catch fire", there are no open flames in your home, etc. When our daughter was 9 months old, she was sleeping in her crib (she used to spend the first part of the night in her crib, and then co-sleep with us) when the house next door burst into flames. By the time I woke up from the light of the fire through my window, the dormer ceiling immediately over her crib was burning. If I had woke up a minute or two later, I would have been extremely grateful for the extra time afforded by her flame-resistent crib mattress and bedding. (Our smoke detectors hadn't yet gone off because the fire was external to the house.) I am sharing this only to say that the risk of fire may be small, but not non-existent. I never thought it would happen to us.

The reason that children's bedding and sleepwear is treated with flame-resistent chemicals or sold to be tight-fitting is because sleeping children can be at risk from fire, and buying them extra time prevents more serious burns and even death. That said, my feeling is that we need to invent/develop safer fire-protecting sleepwear and bedding, because it's unacceptable that the trade-off is between safety and health.

And please, be sure your family has an escape plan from your sleeping area(s), and if your children are old enough, your children know what it is and can execute it if necessary. Take them to a fire station and introduce them to fire fighters so they aren't scared of them. Make sure your smoke detectors are functional.


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## AKislandgirl (Jun 2, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Diane B* 
Disclaimer: We are very careful, as much as we can, to limit our daughter's exposure to toxic substances. We eat organic food, use non-toxic cleaning products, etc. etc.

That said, I am a little concerned about the number of comments on this thread about how your children are unlikely to "catch fire", there are no open flames in your home, etc. When our daughter was 9 months old, she was sleeping in her crib (she used to spend the first part of the night in her crib, and then co-sleep with us) when the house next door burst into flames. By the time I woke up from the light of the fire through my window, the dormer ceiling immediately over her crib was burning. If I had woke up a minute or two later, I would have been extremely grateful for the extra time afforded by her flame-resistent crib mattress and bedding. (Our smoke detectors hadn't yet gone off because the fire was external to the house.) I am sharing this only to say that the risk of fire may be small, but not non-existent. I never thought it would happen to us.

The reason that children's bedding and sleepwear is treated with flame-resistent chemicals or sold to be tight-fitting is because sleeping children can be at risk from fire, and buying them extra time prevents more serious burns and even death. That said, my feeling is that we need to invent/develop safer fire-protecting sleepwear and bedding, because it's unacceptable that the trade-off is between safety and health.

And please, be sure your family has an escape plan from your sleeping area(s), and if your children are old enough, your children know what it is and can execute it if necessary. Take them to a fire station and introduce them to fire fighters so they aren't scared of them. Make sure your smoke detectors are functional.

Yes! Great point. Thank you for sharing this!


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## angeldawn333 (Feb 22, 2008)

I think that fleece pajamas are "naturally" fire retardant because the fabric is made with fire retardants, therefore the finished clothing items don't need to be treated. I stay away from fleece, particularly for sleepwear.


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## montalino (Jun 4, 2010)

I just bought PJ's today and bought the tight Carter's kind untreated, a few sizes too big. Otherwise, I have my 9 month old son sleep in a onesie or long sleeve onesie and leggings or stretch pants (found in the girls section usually). These tend to do the trick for warmth and avoiding chemicals.


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## JudiAU (Jun 29, 2008)

It depends. Sometimes the cotton/snug are ALSO doused with chemicals...


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## GirlOutOfNY (Apr 4, 2007)

I'm no sewing whiz but I got some SewSimple and SewEasy patterns (recently on sale at HObboy Lobby for 99¢) and I have been sewing some jammie pants for my son. They are so stinking cute with all the flannel prints out now, I think I may sew some up for Christmas gifts too. I did buy an adult pattern size too, so I can make them for the whole family. Really, they are easy. I usually pair them with a cotton tshirt or long john shirt or river driver style with the 3 buttons. Happy Sleeping!!


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## jenniet (Apr 1, 2004)

I buy the "footsie pajamas" from the Children's Place. When it gets really cold here I layer a long-sleeved onesie underneath. Both are made snug-fitting and are not treated with flame retardants.


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## Lineymom (Mar 14, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *jenniet* 
I buy the "footsie pajamas" from the Children's Place. When it gets really cold here I layer a long-sleeved onesie underneath. Both are made snug-fitting and are not treated with flame retardants.

I second that. Came on here to say that actually. They have cotton one-piece footed for cheap and they are made well. I just handed dpwn some that look new that my ds wore and wore! They go up to 3t size online I think! They have fleece, too. But again... I don't know. I know that pj fleece just feels different from regular daywear fleece, so flame resisitance is not inherent to all fleece... something "special" about the pj fleece.


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## kindchen (Dec 8, 2008)

We have some of the tight fitting ones, but I hate them. They are so hard to get over my kids' hands, and on my non-skinny kids, they just look super uncomfy. I wouldn't want to wear tight clothes to bed. (We've had Old Navy and Hanna Andersson.)

We bought loose fitting cotton pjs in Germany, and when those are outgrown we'll just use cotton t-shirts and pants. I know there is a risk of burns, but it is low. Chances are the kids will never get injuries that could have been prevented by flame-proof pjs, but if we have the chemically treated ones, they will be exposed to the chemicals for hours and hours every night. I'm really not that freaked out about chemical exposure in general, but the whole "12 hours a day right next to their skin" thing seems excessive.


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## jbailey313 (Dec 21, 2009)

We just found this place at a local fair called grammys jammies and she sells a very warm heavy cotton not treated with chemicals that my children wear in the winter. She is the only one who sells them in the US, there are many ppl who sell them in Canada. I also love frugi jammies, made in England at frugi.com We also bought some organic cotton velour snug fitting custom made by a mom on diapperswappers, that we love! We did grow pants and grow sleeves so it would fit them longer but they are snug fitting. We buy cotton from gap or children's place that are snug fitting, cotton but not flame retardant. And, We also buy from hanna andersson as already mentioned. hth


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## staceychev (Mar 5, 2005)

Re: Carter's PJs: The guys who wrote Slow Death By Rubber Duck actually looked into Carter's. I can't remember the exact situation (and can't look it up because it was a library book), but essentially Carter's does treat them, just one step back in the process. So, if most jammies are treated after sewing, the Carter's are treated as bolts of fabric, or even as thread before the fabric is woven. The authors had to talk to a lot of people to get them to admit this.

Annie B. Bond's book Better Basics for the Home has a recipe for a non-toxic flame resistant treatment for clothes.


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## sosurreal09 (Nov 20, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Lineymom* 
I second that. Came on here to say that actually. They have cotton one-piece footed for cheap and they are made well. I just handed dpwn some that look new that my ds wore and wore! They go up to 3t size online I think! They have fleece, too. But again... I don't know. I know that pj fleece just feels different from regular daywear fleece, so flame resisitance is not inherent to all fleece... something "special" about the pj fleece.

looked into the childrens place WOW got some for $4.50! the fleece ones ARE treated so you have to get the cotton


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## Lupena (Aug 30, 2006)

I don't get it - how could children's place PJ's avoid having to meet the flame resistant requirement if they are considered sleepwear? How do we know that they are chemical free?

Wouldn't _all_ organic kid's pj's be chemical free? I just assumed so..

My co-sleeping boys just sleep in organic cotton onesies and reg. cotton leggings ( for the 3 month old..) and always naked for the four year old.. The baby sleeps in a bamboo or organic cotton sleepsack... We use a latex mattress and a wool mattress cover. Bamboo is not treated with pesticide, but the manufacturing process is not so good, apparently.. sigh.


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## lunarlady (Jan 4, 2010)

For the record, flame resistant fleece PJs will still melt easily, just not flame up. Better, since you kid will not necessarily burn all over, but still very painful. My DD hates PJs and sleeps naked or in her clothing, but the PJs I buy are all cotton and not flame resistant. Wool is naturally very flame resistant, but outside our budget.


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## pxrising2 (Aug 24, 2009)

I have gotten around the flame retardant issue by buying cotton Long Johns/Long Underwear ("not intended for use as sleepwear")


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