By Kate Harvey
Content Manager | Pou Whakahaere Ihirangi
It’s that time of the year when snuggly, cute winter PJs appear in shops, letting us know cooler days are ahead. The deciding factor on which ones to get for our kids is often the characters or pattern on them. But how safe they’ll be if the kids are trying to get warm next to a heater or fireplace should also be right up there.
Here’s how to choose safe sleepwear for our kids.
1. Buy pyjamas that fit snug
You might want to buy clothes that your child can grow into so they get the most wear out of them. With pyjamas though they should fit close to the child’s body so they’re less likely to catch fire if the child sits close to a heater or fireplace. It’s not just loose PJs you need to watch out for though. Baggy robes or wearable blankets are also a fire hazard.
2. Look for the white label
In New Zealand, nightwear must have one of two labels sewn into it. PJs with the white label are made from low fire-hazard fabrics or are designed to be worn close fitting. They are the safest option. They can still catch fire if the child is too close to a heater or flame though. The red label means there’s a higher fire hazard risk.
3. Don’t buy nightwear without a label
Those fire hazard labels might be off-putting, and you might think you’re doing the right thing by buying a hooded blanket or robe that doesn’t have one instead. But clothing might not have a label because it’s got a very high flammability rating and cannot be sold as nightwear.
4. Be careful with wearable towels too
Wearable towels are handy for popping on your little one to keep them snug after a bath or shower, but these also need to carry a fire hazard label. The company that makes Oodies has been in trouble with the Commerce Commission for not putting the labels on their Kids Beach Oodies. The company recalled these Oodies, saying there was a “risk of serious burn injuries if exposed to a heat or flame source”.
As we head into the cooler months, it’s a good time to have a chat with your children about staying their full body length (at least 1m) away from heaters and fires. If you have younger children, consider using safety guards around heaters and fireplaces.
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