10 Cautionary Measures to Secure Kids Garment

Mohammad Nurul Alam

Kids are more vulnerable to various potential risks while wearing any clothes and so before and during the manufacturing period the garment definitely needs closer supervision. Hence knowing the safety hazards would help apparel maker to take cautionary action and they should also inform the brand if any potential risks has been observed in the kid’s wear because of design error. To avoid complaints and penalties from the consumer protection law kid’s apparel maker has to be aware of and train up the concerned people in the manufacturing unit.

The recognized hazards and unsafe that the RMG manufacturers should know and be aware of when making the baby garments are following below- 

1. Small Parts – Baby tends to put any object in the mouth that is attached to the garment so it can easily be swallowed and may really hazardous for health and cause choking. There are certain components of kids’ clothing that can be accidentally detached, such as rivets, buttons, zippers, hooks, bows, and other decorative labels. Due to sharp edges, some are even more dangerous when accidentally swallowed.

2.  Drawstrings- These are cords used on pajama or jacket hoods hanging long, and cause accidents when caught on doors, handrails, or even moving vehicles. Drawstrings at the hood are considered to be the most hazardous as they can cause strangulation. Hence, when a baby products are being processed for manufacturing, one always needs to double-check the measurement of drawstrings.

• It is advised the cords for kids might measure not more than three inches.

• It should also be fixed with bar tack stitch on the back instead of just knots and

• To avoid the possibility of the fabric being ripped apart it should be sewn at seamlessly and thus exposing the drawstring.

3. Toxic Substances- To make fancy and cute children’s clothes are made with sparkly embellishments and dazzling colors that contain chemicals. Sometimes hazardous substances like Phthalates and lead may be found in plastics and garment prints that are considered the most common hazards mainly associated with children’s clothing.

• Both Phthalates and lead are considered toxic substances causing prolonged exposure of damaging organs with deadly disease.

• The kid’s garment must be confirmed as a hazard-free substance by the laboratory and keep a record of it for the future.

4. Flammable Fabrics- Kid’s sleepwear is designed to be light, soft, and comfy usually occurs when the flame comes very close contact with fire. The flammable kid’s wear includes nightgowns, pajamas, robes, onesies, and loungewear. Children’s sleepwear is usually designed as flowy and loose and so could be unfortunate circumstances. Kids may come into contact with ignition sources such as stoves, candles, matches, and lighters.

• Sleepwear could rapidly burn and completely be ashes in under 150 seconds if it is made of cheap material instead of quality ones so apparel manufacturers should maintain the right quality.

• To avoid danger and secure children’s lives lab test for flammability is a must for the product that is made as children’s sleepwear.

5. Neck minimum stretch – Tee shirt without a button may cause of suffocation while wearing through the head. If head passes do not enough to be easygoing, then the possible unwanted accident may occur and have the risk of life. The cautionary steps are –

• Always need to check the tension of the stitch to achieve the desired stretches. 

• If possible better to use filament thread to get good elasticity.

• Random quality checks must follow to confirm the entire production is going in the right quality.

6. Random pulling test– The button, rivets or any kind of embellishment attached to the garment might need to be checked randomly with a minimum of 70 °N strength otherwise it may be the cause of a big penalty

7. Extra bar tack – Some seam areas like the 4-point armhole and leg crotch area may break the stitch because of extra pressure. Children tend to stretch their legs and so the 4point area may tear off easily and to avoid such issues an additional bar tack will keep the area secure and prevent not from opening the seam.

8. Waistband elastic – For kids, tight elastic may cause damage to the skin and it can also hurt the kids in the waist area so elastic quality must be strong but soft for kids bottom.

9. Leg and cuff opening – Leg and cuffs are sometimes cause difficulties for kids to put on and take off a garment so the production supervisor must ensure the areas are enough flexible to put in and open it easily.

10. Flexible garment – Kids tend to move around and do all kinds of body stretches during play time so the fabric and stitches might have to be in good quality for easy moving. Manufacturing unit should have to take the kids product as very sensible because parents never compromise with kid’s product. So if it seems not safe the goods will be unsold and ultimately the blame and responsibility will come on manufacturer’s shoulder.

In conclusion it can be said children’s wear always considered sensitive for skin, flexibility and hazard issue. Many of the time it has been seen due to lack of cautionary action manufacturer receive complaints and penalty that could be easily improve and avoid.