Product Safety Recalls in Children’s Wear: What Does the Consumer Know?

https://kent-islandora.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/ugresearch/2017/art_fashion/28/thumbnail.jpgMedia coverage of safety recalls in children’s products often includes hard goods such as child seats and furniture. Soft goods, such as children’s wear may also include potential hazards that can lead to choking, scratching or other injuries. Current safety guidelines recommend that snaps, buttons, etc. be used instead of drawstrings in children’s wear because of the potential for strangling. However, Disney’s recently recalled infant bodysuits because the snaps were detaching and presenting a choking hazard. Often, the consumer is unaware of violations occurring in the world of children’s wear. A class discussion in the Fashion School was the impetus for this research as few students were aware of product safety laws and violations that occur in the children’s wear area. Fashion School students are individuals who intend to work in the fashion industry and many are of an age where they may soon be consumers of children’s wear as parents. Using a content analysis approach, the researchers will explore the product safety laws and violations that have occurred in children’s soft goods such as apparel, footwear, and accessories over the past three years and how these violations have been communicated to the fashion industry professionals and consumers.