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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To throw away all my children's dressing up clothes?

101 replies

MrsNextDoor · 26/05/2015 00:48

www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3096677/Why-parent-throw-child-s-fancy-dress-costumes-man-saved-TV-Claudia-s-daughter-fireball.html

Daily Fail link sorry but I've learned from it that after Claudia Winkleman's poor DD was burned at Halloween, the man who helped her has found out that Halloween and dress up costumes...the nylon kind we all buy cheaply in Supermarkets are classed as TOYS and so aren't fire safe.

Angry why did I never check!?

I know our kids don't routinely run round candles in their dress up outfits but one spark....

OP posts:
formerbabe · 26/05/2015 12:56

The law should be changed rather than parents having to be aware...I never even knew these costumes were flammable before this. I assumed as we are in the EU, the things we buy our children would be safe....silly me!

SistersofPercy · 26/05/2015 13:21

Isn't the point of the publicity over this because it isn't manageable?

But it was manageable. A naked flame was left out by the home owner and the supervising parent didn't see the risk. I'm not apportioning blame, it's something we've probably all done in the past including myself. Had I considered clothing and flames from pumpkins I'd not have left them on my own doorstep in the past. Now I've seen this I wouldn't be binning costumes but I would be controlling the environment in which they were worn. I also wont put out a candle filled pumpkin this year, i'll opt for a glow stick inside instead.

Dr0pThePirate · 26/05/2015 13:21

I think the problem with these costumes is that once alight the melted fabric is more of an issue than the flame. They melt and stick to the skin and keep on burning long after the flame is out.

formerbabe · 26/05/2015 13:25

Its a reasonable assumption though that clothing for children bought from a reputable shop in the UK would be safe. I know costumes aren't classed as clothing but ffs, they are supposed to be worn.

Klayden · 26/05/2015 14:20

I saw a video on Watchdog of one of these costumes burning. It certainly was not 'manageable'.

WinterOfOurDiscountTents15 · 26/05/2015 14:30

I'm just a bit surprised that when talking about setting children on fire, the focus is on the clothes and not on the flame. Seems like the wrong priority to me, but then I've banned disney princess dresses anyway.

halcyondays · 26/05/2015 14:38

I won't be binning costumes, but will be using LED candles in pumpkins instead of real ones in future. Strange the article doesn't suggest this.

AlternativeTentacles · 26/05/2015 16:24

But it was manageable. A naked flame was left out by the home owner and the supervising parent didn't see the risk. I'm not apportioning blame, it's something we've probably all done in the past including myself. Had I considered clothing and flames from pumpkins I'd not have left them on my own doorstep in the past. Now I've seen this I wouldn't be binning costumes but I would be controlling the environment in which they were worn. I also wont put out a candle filled pumpkin this year, i'll opt for a glow stick inside instead.

Hurrah. Well done you.

Of course the rest of the population might not so, I am guessing, there might still be an issue. Of course if you and all the other adults surround all the kids at all times ensuring one never strays onto or near a flame then that's just grand.

SistersofPercy · 26/05/2015 16:36

Hurrah. Well done you
Hmm

The issue is kids around naked flames. Yes costumes burn at an alarming rate but so do some ordinary clothes. You can either keep kids in fireproof suits or try and control the environments they are in. It's always good to have fire safety reminders and the watchdog article will help raise awareness but I don't see how banning something is better than actively being aware of the danger and managing it.

Pilgit · 26/05/2015 16:46

It was a horrid thing to happen and having dressing up clothes classified as toys is just ridiculous. BUT so is having naked flames at ankle height when children are going to be around in an excited trick or treating frenzy. That's an accident waiting to happen. Whenever I see candles on The ground my first thought isn't 'ooh pretty' but stay clear.

There's no need to get rid of them - just have them at a more sensible height and not where people are walking.....

MrsNextDoor · 26/05/2015 17:09

Sisters But it cannot be argued that these costumes aren't more of a risk than normal clothing...because they are. They burn faster...melt in fact immediately. Personally I do what I can to minimize risk where I can...and of course avoiding flames is part of that...but one can't always control outside influences.

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 26/05/2015 20:16

But it cannot be argued that these costumes aren't more of a risk than normal clothing...because they are. They burn faster...melt in fact immediately.

They aren't more of a risk. As the Watchdog report showed, solid costumes of a single fabric were fine. Floaty costumes of multiple fabrics were not. A girls party dress with floaty skirt is just as dangerous as a witches costume. There is no difference. To ignore the risks of ordinary children's clothing is stupid and potentially dangerous.

SoupDragon · 26/05/2015 20:21

This was the other thread that had some interesting points made by people in the industry.

Greengardenpixie · 26/05/2015 20:53

I also think awareness is the key. For all those with curtains etc in their dressing up box - arent you aware that your children could tie them around themselves and choke? I agree that these should have labels but most people would imagine just by the sheer fabric that they are made of that they would set alight quickly. I am old enough to remember fleecy pyjamas and the fuss over them catching fire easily. There are loads of fabric that can catch fire. You need to use common sense. Flames around children are dangerous. End of!

WinterOfOurDiscountTents15 · 26/05/2015 20:54

But it cannot be argued that these costumes aren't more of a risk than normal clothing.

It certainly can and is argued. By experts.

Greengardenpixie · 26/05/2015 20:55

and for the record, i have plenty of fairy dressing up costumes that i have no intention of throwing away. I just wont let them around any flames when they have them on. They should have a warning on the outfit to take care and to say that it is highly flammable around a naked flame.

Greengardenpixie · 26/05/2015 20:57

Well some fleece dressing gowns/onsies are highly flammable so i am actually not sure i agree with this either.

FryOneFatManic · 26/05/2015 22:03

I'm sure this sort of thing has been around for longer than the dress up clothes.

In the 70s little girls' nightdresses tended to be a rather flammable nylon IIRC. I'm sure I recall similar incidents of dresses going up and burning the child.

In any case, I've always had an awareness that we should keep synthetic fabrics away from naked flames and heat sources.

PatricianOfAnkhMorpork · 27/05/2015 09:17

Greengardenpixie yes fleece dressing gowns are highly flammable as I found out by accidentally melting the sleeve on mine when cooking an omelette for breakfast one Sunday morning. More concerning was the fact I had no idea I'd done it until I found a hard scratchy patch instead of a soft fleecy patch.

They do however have a warning label in them.

Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost · 27/05/2015 11:33

I can see where you're coming from, op. What happened to little Matilda was an absolute tragedy. Delighted the poor little mite is getting stronger though. Of course you are fearful. However if she just used them in house around no naked flames of the fire then she should be fine, and a while off yet but at Halloween you can always use s battery operated candle.
I don't think I would let my dc wear fancy dress when they were going to s party though esp if there were candles ect. Children naturally get boisterous and playful at parties don't they and next second there's a tragic accident. You hear of these things happening, and if the unlikely event I did. I'd hAvd to be at the party watching like a hawk, and if that made me "that parent" then so be it.
I wouldn't be at all surprised if fancy dress costumes were pulled from sale to be honest. They are clearly not safe even though they do have the ce mark which tells us otherwise. I thought there were lAws against misleading information especially so in the cases of safe guarding.
I wouldn't particularly say throw them out just be more than extra vigilant, but the very fact that you hAvd started this thread clearly displays how important health and safety is to you, which is a good thing.

SoupDragon · 27/05/2015 12:13

I don't think I would let my dc wear fancy dress when they were going to s party though esp if there were candles ect

Would you let a girl wear a party dress with a frilly skirt?

FriendlyLadybird · 27/05/2015 12:26

I think awareness is the thing.

When I was a young teenager there was a similar scare about floaty Indian cotton dresses that were fashionable. When I wanted to wear a particular dress to a party, my mother (bless her) set light to a blouse I had in a similar material to see how quickly it burned. Then, because she has a scientific mind, she selected a variety of other items of clothing, including a pair of my brother's underpants I remember, and burned them, timing all the fires.

To be honest, they all went up pretty quickly -- maybe my brother's underpants were the slowest of them. They key is just keeping away from naked flames.

The neighbours had always thought my mother was a bit odd, by the way. This incident convinced them that she was barking.

SistersofPercy · 27/05/2015 12:34

Thats the thing isn't it Friendly, fabric burns. All fabrics will burn, though admittedly at different rates. Surely the answer is to remove the accelerant rather than the fabric?

Ds's friends burns (I mentioned above) were in a pretty party dress. Her Mother didn't want to ban dresses but she did remind us all that in the days of central heating it's easy to forget a coal fire spits out embers.

AppleAndBlackberry · 27/05/2015 12:51

Love the sound of your Mum FriendlyLadybird! I will definitely think twice about what I allow my children to wear out of the house.

jennymor123 · 28/05/2015 18:54

This looks like a sensible discussion. On the other thread mentioned earlier, we talked about how all clothing is flammable, burning at different rates. Watchdog wants fancy dress clothing to be subject to the same rules as the Nightwear law. But all that would mean is that fancy dress, like nightwear, would either be made from cotton treated with flame retardant chemicals or from polyester. The principle of the Nightwear law is to preserve life, not to make clothing non-flammable, which isn't really possible. The law says nightdresses must be made flame resistant, but it's optional for pyjamas. The result is that most children's nightdresses are made of polyester because that's allowed - on the basis that it burns very quickly, and most pyjamas are cotton but untreated. Polyester nightdresses mean a child can be badly burned but should at least live. By contrast, cotton burns longer, essentially, so it can be fatal when set alight. If you want cotton nightdresses, they will have to be treated with flame retardant chemicals. And if you want all clothing to be safer, then you'll need even more chemicals, lots more in the case of some materials.

So, we need to be wary of people campaigning for tougher flammability laws because that would please the flame retardant industry no end. The same industry succeeded for decades to get loads of chemicals into US furniture that turned out to not be needed. After long campaigning by consumers and fire fighters over there, they've now changed the law so there should be no chemicals in US furniture soon.

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