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OK, so footy pajamas may not be stylin’ but they are safe. That extra bit of fabric can act as a barrier between your child’s sensitive skin and a possible fire during one of the most vulnerable times of day.

The Children’s Burn Foundation states that pre-school children are twice as likely to die from a fire than other age groups, and each year approximately 90 children are burned while wearing sleepwear. The foundation recommends that parents follow federal sleepwear guidelines to help ensure that children wears PJs that will reduce the likelihood of burns.

What does all of this mean? Basically, that buying pajamas is serious business. It also means that dressing your child in your old t-shirt or in pajamas with trim that sticks out farther than 1/8” can be dangerous. To be safe, pajamas can be made of non-flame resistant material, so long as they are snug-fitting. Or, pajamas can be loose-fitting if they are made of flame-resistant material (like 100% polyester or natural fibers that have been treated with flame-resistant properties).

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, following the federal safety guidelines can help you buy the safest kids’ pajamas:

• Most kids’ pajamas must be tight-fitting or made of flame-resistant material to reduce the risk of burns.
• T-shirts and other loose fitting clothing should be avoided [as sleepwear] because they can catch fire more easily and cause serious burn injuries,” says commission spokeswoman Patty Davis.
• Tight-fitting styles that are not flame-resistant should have a removable hangtag that warns of this, and instructs parents to make sure the garments fit snugly.
• Pajamas made of flame-resistant material should have a permanent tag inside with care instructions on how to preserve the flame-resistant properties of the material.
• The law covers PJs in sizes 9 months to 14. Other sizes are covered by a general federal standard for flammability. Other sizes are covered by a general federal standard for flammability.

In general, when shopping for children’s pajamas be sure to look for the area of the store that is clearly labeled “sleepwear”, know your child’s size so that items fit properly, and read the labels to make sure that items meet the safety guidelines.