FLAMMABILITY AND
OTHER
CONSUMER
SAFETY
ISSUES
Periodically, incidents are reported in the media concerning problems
with the flammability of garments being sold in the United States.
How can you be sure a garment is safe? What other safety regulations
apply to the manufacturing and sale of clothing and fabric?
The following summaries provide information regarding the regulation
of the safety of clothing and fabric sold in the United States. Additional
information, including copies of the complete regulations can be
obtained by contacting:
U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Washington, D.C., 20207-0400 Telephone: 301-504-0400
INDEX OF TOPICS
FLAMMABILITY OF CLOTHING TEXTILES
The Flammable Fabrics Act (FFA), enacted by the U. S. Department
of Commerce and enforced by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety
Commission, contains the standards under which clothing textiles
are tested and regulated for flammability.
The FFA was initially passed in 1953 in
response to public concern over a number of serious burn
accidents involving brushed
rayon high pile sweaters (referred to as "torch sweaters")
and children's cowboy chaps which could catch fire easily and
flash burn.
Controlling Regulations - The flammability standards
which regulate clothing and textiles intended for clothing
are contained in Volume 16 of the Code of Federal Regulations,
Subchapter D - Flammable Fabrics Act Regulation, in the following
references:
- Part 1610 Standard for the Flammability Testing of Clothing
Textiles
- Part 1611 Standard for the Flammability of Vinyl Plastic
Film
- Part 1615 Standards for the Flammability of Children's
Sleepwear: Sizes 0 through 6X
- Part 1616 Standards for the Flammability of Children's
Sleepwear: Sizes 7 through 14
What The Flammable Fabrics Act Does
General Clothing - The majority of
flammability problems have involved lightweight rayons or cotton
garments with exposed
fuzzy fleece, and, to a lesser extent, garments made of very
lightweight silk. It is important to understand that the Flammable
Fabrics Act is a minimal standard, intended to remove from
sale and use the small number of articles of wearing apparel
and fabrics which are "so highly flammable as to be dangerous
when worn by individuals."
Effectively, the FFA removes only so called "torch fabrics," which
could become engulfed in flames in a matter of seconds. The
consumer should be aware that a fabric which passes the FFA
standard may still burn. In fact, surprisingly even a newspaper
will pass the flammability test.
Children's Sleepwear - Children's sleepwear is subject
to a much stricter flammability standard. The testing specified
for children's sleepwear requires that all garments and fabrics
used in children's sleepwear must self-extinguish when exposed
to a small, open flame. Children's sleepwear is primarily made
from specially manufactured polyester fiber.
Retailers' and Manufacturers' Responsibility - To verify
if the fabrics being used in clothing meet the requirements
of the Flammable Fabrics Act, a retailer can request a guaranty
from the garment manufacturer and the garment manufacturer
can request a guaranty from the fabric supplier. The guaranty,
a formal certification, must indicate that reasonable and representative
tests have been made in accordance with applicable standards
and procedures currently in effect under the Flammable Fabrics
Act, and that the fabric tested meets the minimum requirements.
Penalty - The manufacture for sale, the sale, or the
offering for sale of any product, fabric, or related material
which fails to comply with an applicable standard or regulation
issued under the FFA is prohibited. The FFA is enforced by
the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The FFA provides
for civil penalties of up to $6,000 per product involved with
any violation, and a maximum penalty of up to $1.5 million
for any related series of violations.
Top of Index
FEDERAL HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES ACT
Any non-functional button or other decorative accessory on
an article of children's clothing that contains a defect which
creates a substantial risk of injury to children is subject
to appropriate actions under Chapter 15 of the Federal Hazardous
Substances Act.
Top of Index
SHARP POINTS AND SHARP EDGES ON CHILDREN'S PRODUCTS
Reference: Volume 16 of the Code of Federal Regulations,
Sections 1500.48 and 1500.49
Clothing intended for children under 8 years of age is subject
to regulation under the sharp point and sharp edge technical
requirements. These requirements describe test methods for
determining whether points and edges on articles are hazardously
sharp. The use and abuse test procedures are also used with
these requirements to determine whether children's products
are likely to develop sharp points or sharp edges during use
and reasonably foreseeable abuse.
Top of Index
USE AND ABUSE TEST PROCEDURES
Reference: Volume 16 of the Code of Federal Regulations,
Sections 1500.50 through 1500.53
The objective of the Use and Abuse Test Procedures is to
standardize specific test methods for simulating normal use
of toys and other articles intended for use by children, as
well as the reasonably foreseeable damage and abuse to which
the articles may be subjected. The test methods are for use
in exposing potential hazards that would result from the normal
use or the reasonably foreseeable damage or abuse of such articles
intended for children.
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SMALL PARTS REQUIREMENTS
(CHOKING, ASPIRATION, OR INGESTION HAZARDS)
Reference: Volume 16 of the Code of Federal Regulations,
Part 1501
This regulation concerns the identification of toys, balloons,
books, writing materials, children's clothing, and other articles
intended for children, containing small parts which present
choking, aspiration or ingestion hazards.
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LEAD-IN-PAINT REGULATION
Reference: Volume 16 of the Code of Federal Regulations,
Part 1303
The lead-in-paint regulation bans toys or children's articles
(including clothing) with paint or similar surface coating
materials on the clothing, buttons, findings, or other decorative
items having in excess of 0.06% by weight of lead.
Top of Index
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