Why This is Green

When tucking the kids into bed at night, who among us wants them wrapped in a toxic flame-resisting chemical for the next 11 hours or so? The majority of children’s pjs are required to and do contain flame-retardants, especially synthetic or fleece ones. While FR chemicals have saved lives, there are safer alternatives that are much less hazardous to growing bodies.

It’s difficult to find out which FR chemical has been used on your beloved’s pjs. Mothering Magazine says the most common chemicals used on pajamas are halogenated hydrocarbons (chlorine and bromine), antimony oxides, and phosphate based compounds. These both offgas into the air kids breathe and are skin irritants. One carcinogenic chemical, chlorinated Tris (TDCPP), which was removed from children’s pajamas back in the 1970s was recently found by The Washington Toxics Coalition and Safer States in 80 percent of new baby and children’s products! And the flame retardants found in everything from mattresses to electronics (including toys) to upholstered furniture to the mattress your kid is snoozing on--polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs)—are potentially carcinogenic, reproductive toxicants, hormones disrupters, and found in the blood and breast milk of most Americans. These are banned in the European Union and are slowly being phased out in America, but not enough research has been done on the chemicals replacing PBDEs.

Learn More

• PracticallyGreen.com: Chemical Flame Retardants Are Bad For You And Your Kids — What To Do?
• 5MinutesForGoingGreen.com: Avoiding Flame Retardants In Cozy Children's Pajamas
• ToxicsInfo.org: Fire Retardant Sleepwear
• EcoChildsPlay.com: Flame Retardants Refuse To Burn Out
• Washington Toxics Coalition: Tips To Avoid Toxic Tris
• Environmental Working Group: Healthy Home Tips--Fire Retardants
• USA Today: Flame Retardant Found In Breast Milk
• EPA.gov: Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs)