There are masses of baby products on the market today, so how do we know what to choose? Fire-safe, durable, non-toxic… the list is endless.
Jeannie Yoon, creative director and marketing manager at The Living Textiles Company, makers of Australia’s safest and most fashionable nursery products, says not all baby products in Australia are tested for safety or conform to Australian safety standards. Here’s what to look out for:
BED LINEN
Babies need a safe sleeping environment. They can get their little fingers caught or put loose buttons or threads in their mouths. Low quality fabrics can pill or shrink, it may not tumble-dry well even if the label says it can, and it can fall apart in the first few washes.
To avoid this, look for baby bed linen that is tested for durability (friction and wash and wear), fire-resistance, warmth, colour-fastness, and safety. Reputable manufacturers such as Living Textiles send each product to a testing centre, where it is washed, pulled, dry cleaned, tumble dried, and tested for pilling, shrinkage, colourfastness and light-fastness.
Flat sheets and blankets should be a larger size than the mattress, so they can be tucked in securely. Babies can move around a lot while sleeping, and there’s nothing worse – or more dangerous – than baby becoming entangled in his or her bed linen.
FABRICS
Fabrics should be 100% cotton for baby’s delicate skin. Cotton provides better ventilation and absorption, keeping babies more comfortable than any synthetic fabric would, and is the most natural and low-allergenic of fabrics.
All embroideries and appliqués must be securely stitched so they won’t fall apart in the wash and don’t produce loose threads that will irritate baby’s skin or snag tiny fingers. The stitching should be tiny, dense, and double or triple stitched.
No surfur dyes should be used on baby fabrics. Surfur dyes – the cheapest method of dying fabrics – have a rough hand feel, may run when washed and caused irritation to baby’s delicate skin. Choose dyed fabrics that feel soft and natural. Living Textiles uses ‘fabric-reactive’ dyes that are more colour-fast, then put the fabric through a process that gives the fabric an ultra-soft feel and prevents the dye from running.
SLEEPWEAR
For fire-safety, look for baby sleepwear that comes with a TOG (thermal resistance) rating and Australian fire-hazard label. The TOG rating is a British Standard that describes the warmth or “thermal resistance” of a fabric. Health professionals recommend that baby sleeping bags and bed linen should be of a low TOG rating (0.5 – 2.5TOG).
All Living Textiles sleepwear are tested for fire-safety. Australian fire-safety standard is one of the most strict in the world (due to our hot and dry climate). Because of this, you will find many overseas products do not meet the Australian Standard.
Do not choose any baby product with buttons. These are a choking hazard, no matter how securely the button is tied.
ROOM TEMPERATURE
Even with the best sleepwear and fabrics, it is important not to let baby get too warm. A comfortable room temperature will help him or her sleep soundly, as young babies are not good at controlling their own body temperature. The ideal temperature in a nursery is 18°C/65°F. It is recommended that a room thermometer is used to accurately measure the temperature in baby’s bedroom, as the amount of bedding required depends on this.
Babies are delicate and need protection. Their skin and immune systems are fragile and they need to be protected from potential hazards. The safest baby nursery items conform to Australian safety standards – and international safety standards if they are being sold overseas.
For more information on safety, Living Textiles offers advice to mums and dads on their website: www.livingtextiles.com
Beauty and Lace is an online magazine for women. We hope you enjoyed this article!