CPSC children's sleepwear standard part 1615.

What counts as children's sleepwear

Section 1615.1(a) defines "children's sleepwear" as "any product of wearing apparel up to and including size 6X, such as nightgowns, pajamas, or similar or related items, such as robes, intended to be worn primarily for sleeping or activities related to sleeping," excluding (1) diapers and underwear, (2) infant garments, and (3) tight-fitting garments. An "item" means "any product of children's sleepwear, or any fabric or related material intended or promoted for use in children's sleepwear." Size 6X is the size defined in the Commerce Department standard CS 151-50, "Body Measurements for the Sizing of Apparel for Infants, Babies, Toddlers, and Children."

Under 1615.2(c), "the flammability standards for clothing textiles and vinyl plastic film, parts 1610 and 1611 of this chapter, are superseded by this part insofar as they apply to items defined in 1615.1(d)." In other words, a garment that is children's sleepwear is tested under part 1615, not part 1610.

How the Commission reads "intended" and "primarily"

Section 1615.64 states a policy for deciding borderline products. For a fabric, whether it is "intended or promoted" for children's sleepwear depends on the nature of the fabric and its suitability, the extent it has been sold to sleepwear manufacturers, and the likelihood it will be used primarily for sleepwear in a substantial number of cases. For a garment, whether it is "intended to be worn primarily for sleeping or activities related to sleeping" depends on its nature and suitability for children's sleep, the manner in which it is distributed and promoted, and the likelihood it will be used primarily for sleeping in a substantial number of cases. These factors "are guidelines only, and are not elements of the definition."

Retailers, distributors, wholesalers, manufacturers and importers also have an obligation not to promote or sell for sleepwear a fabric or garment that does not meet the standard. The policy encourages segregating and signing sleepwear versus non-sleepwear lookalikes so customers can tell the difference.

The test criteria

Section 1615.3(a) summarizes the method: "Five conditioned specimens, 8.9 x 25.4 cm. (3.5 x 10 in.), are suspended one at a time vertically in holders in a prescribed cabinet and subjected to a standard flame along their bottom edge for a specified time under controlled conditions. The char length is measured." Char length is the distance from the original lower edge of the exposed specimen to the end of the tear or void in the charred area, with the tear made under the weighted-hook procedure in 1615.4(g)(2). The gas is at least 97 percent pure methane, at a pressure of 129 +/- 13 mm Hg.

There are two test criteria in 1615.3(b): the "average char length of five specimens shall not exceed 17.8 cm. (7.0 in.)," and "no individual specimen shall have a char length of 25.4 cm. (10 in.)," which is a full specimen burn. The checker above applies both to five lengths you enter. A garment is tested including a seam or trim.

Infant garments and tight-fitting garments

An "infant garment" is sized nine months or smaller; if one-piece, does not exceed 64.8 cm (25.75 in) in length, and if two-piece, no piece exceeds 40 cm (15.75 in); complies with parts 1610 and 1611; and bears a label stating the size in months of age, which must appear on the package if the label is not visible at retail.

A "tight-fitting garment" must meet maximum dimensions for chest, waist, seat, upper arm, thigh, wrist and ankle, listed by size from 9-12 months up to 6X in a table in 1615.1(o)(1)(i). For example, the maximum chest is 19 inches in size 9-12 months and 24 3/4 inches in size 6X, and the maximum waist is 19 inches and 22 1/2 inches respectively. Measurements are taken on the front of the garment laid flat and multiplied by two. The garment also has no ornamentation extending more than 6 millimeters (1/4 inch) from the point of attachment, sleeves and legs that taper gradually, the lowest fastening within 15 cm (6 inches) of the bottom of an upper piece, compliance with parts 1610 and 1611, a size label, a yellow hangtag stating "For child's safety, garment should fit snugly. This garment is not flame resistant. Loose-fitting garment is more likely to catch fire," and a label reading "Wear Snug-fitting, Not Flame Resistant." The hangtag and label layouts are shown in figures in the eCFR.

Labels, care instructions and records

Under 1615.5(a), all items of children's sleepwear must carry permanent precautionary care instructions to protect them from agents or treatments known to cause deterioration of flame resistance, and an item first tested after one wash and dry must say to wash before wearing. Section 1615.31 adds recordkeeping, advertising, retail display and guaranty rules for the standard, and 1615.32 sets how alternate laundering procedures may be used. Fabric production units run up to 5,000 linear yards (10,000 for reduced sampling) and garment production units up to 500 dozen (1615.1(k), (l)).

Worked example

A size 4 cotton nightgown is flame tested and the five char lengths are 4.2, 5.0, 6.1, 5.5 and 4.8 inches. The average is 5.12 inches, under 7.0, and no specimen is 10.0, so it meets the char criteria. A different fabric gives 6.0, 8.5, 9.0, 7.5 and 10.0: the average is 8.2, over 7.0, and one specimen burned the full 10 inches, so it fails both. For a size 3 two-piece set sold as tight-fitting, a full chest of 21 inches meets the 21 inch maximum, while 21.5 does not. Passing the chest value alone does not make a garment tight-fitting under 1615.1(o).

Limits of this page

The tool compares numbers you enter with numbers in the table and test criteria. It does not run the flame test, decide that a product is sleepwear, or check taper, trim, fastenings or the hangtag. The fabric weight loads, laundering procedure and apparatus drawings are in 1615.4 and its figures. This page quotes the CFR and is not a determination about any garment.

Sources

Sources opened and read November 2, 2026.

• eCFR: 16 CFR part 1615, children's sleepwear sizes 0 through 6X (current through October 29, 2026) (read November 2, 2026)