SAFETY URGED

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31728, 11 July 1968, Page 3

SAFETY URGED

Nightwear Fabrics The Consumers’ Institute urges mothers to demand safe fabrics for making children’s nightwear, and to keep on asking for them until they become readily available in the shops. The latest Issue of the institute’s magazine, "Consumer,” shows photographs of how rapidly nightdresses made from various fabrics flame when lit at the hem. Using a window dresser's dummy, the institute shows how the flames rush upward from the hem towards the face, fed by the ventilation of the chimney shape of the nightdress. In some cases the face was enveloped in flames Within 15 seconds. In nine cases, severe burning to the body took place within 60 seconds.

The institute says that materials treated to make them flame resistant are available and should soon be in all the shops if there is demand for them. In its test winceyette nightdresses treated in this special way did not ignite even after a taper had been held to the hem for 90 seconds. A similar nightdress which bad been washed five times did ignite, but burned for only two seconds, and then only slightly. The test showed that the least flammable materials available at present are the synthetics (such as nylon) provided they are sewn and trimmed with synthetic materials too. If the seams are made of cotton, the flames race up the seams. Although the synthetics flamed less, deep burns could be sustained by the molten material, the magazine says. The answer, according to the institute, Is chemicallytreated materials such as the one used in its test, but these are not readily available at present In the past they have been—as a result of the Plunket Society—but lack of interest caused retailers to sell off their stocks. The institute urges as many people as possible to read and discuss its findings and agitate throughout the community for the sale and use of safe fabrics for nightwear. In a recent year, says the institute, 156 persons were admitted to hospital with burns suffered when their clothing caught fire. Five died, and the rest spent a total of 6344 days in hospital. Fortytwo were children under ths age of 11 who were wearing nightdresses at the time.