Are Children's Pyjamas Flame Resistant in the UK? A Label Guide
If you are buying Christmas pyjamas for children this year, you may have wondered whether they have to be flame resistant. The answer in the UK is more specific than most people expect, and it comes down to a label rather than a promise. This guide explains what the law actually says, what the labels mean and how to check a pair before you buy.
What the law covers
Children's nightwear is covered by the Nightwear (Safety) Regulations 1985. The regulations define nightwear as nightdresses, pyjamas, dressing gowns, bath robes and other garments of a like nature and use, and they include babies' garments. For the purposes of the main rules, "children" means anyone under 13.
The flammability standard named in the regulations is BS 5722. Trading Standards guidance (published through Business Companion) also points to a newer standard, BS EN 14878, which sets flammability requirements for children's nightwear up to age 14 and covers pyjamas, dressing gowns and babies' garments.
Pyjamas are treated differently from nightdresses
This is the part that surprises people. Under the regulations, children's pyjamas, babies' garments and cotton terry towelling bath robes are not required to pass the flammability performance test, but they must be labelled. The label has to tell the buyer whether or not the garment meets the flammability requirements. Most other children's nightwear, such as nightdresses and non-towelling dressing gowns, has to meet the standard itself, with a few size-based exceptions (a nightdress over 91 cm chest or 122 cm long, or a dressing gown over 97 cm chest or 69 cm sleeve, falls outside the children's rules).
Adults' nightwear is not required to pass the test either, but it also needs a label saying whether it meets the requirements. So a flame resistance label on a pair of pyjamas is information, not a guarantee. Reading it is the whole job.
What the label should say
The wording is set out in the regulations. There are two permitted statements for a garment that does meet the requirements:
- "KEEP AWAY FROM FIRE" in red text
- "LOW FLAMMABILITY TO BS 5722" in black text (or both statements together)
A garment that does not meet the requirements must carry "KEEP AWAY FROM FIRE" in red. That means the red warning on its own does not tell you which category the garment is in, but the black "LOW FLAMMABILITY TO BS 5722" wording does tell you it has been made to the standard. If a garment has been chemically treated to reduce flammability, the wording changes to "DO NOT WASH AT MORE THAN 50 °C. CHECK SUITABILITY OF WASHING AGENT", because washing in the wrong way can affect the treatment.
The label must be durable and sit on the inside neck, next to the size label, or be printed on the size label itself. If it is missing from a garment, that is worth raising with the seller before it is worn.
Size and sensible use
Size is worth getting right for comfort and for safe wear. Read the size chart for chest and height rather than guessing from age, as sizing for novelty sets can run differently between ranges, and keep nightwear well away from open fires, candles and heaters whatever the label says.
Matching sets are popular for Christmas morning, and if you want to dress the whole family the same way, our matching Christmas pyjamas collection has 68 styles to compare, so you can check each product page and the garment label for the flammability wording before ordering.
A quick checklist before you buy
- Find the label. Look inside the neck or beside the size label for either of the two permitted statements.
- Match the label to the age. Children's items should carry the wording described above. If a product page does not mention it, ask before you buy.
- Check the fit. Use the chest and height chart for the right size, not the age on the pack.
- Wash as instructed. Follow the care label, particularly for any treated fabric (50 °C maximum is the wording used on treated nightwear).
- Keep nightwear away from flames. Candles, fires and heaters should stay well clear of anyone in nightwear.
What about girls' and women's nightwear?
The same labelling logic applies across ages. For younger girls, browse our girls' pyjamas range of 11 styles and check each listing for sizing guidance. For adults, the women's pyjamas collection has 96 products, and adult nightwear is covered by the labelling rule in the same regulations, so the black or red wording applies to those garments too.
Dressing gowns are a separate case. Children's dressing gowns are covered by the nightwear rules, with a size cut-off at a 97 cm chest or 69 cm sleeve, and cotton terry towelling bath robes are labelled rather than tested. If you are looking at robes for any age, the dressing gowns and robes collection lists 35 options, and it is worth checking the fabric description on each product page, since fabric affects both warmth and how a garment sits.
Where to read the rules yourself
The full text of the Nightwear (Safety) Regulations 1985 is on legislation.gov.uk (SI 1985/2043), and the Business Companion quick guide to new nightwear summarises the label wording and size limits in plain English. Both are free to read and are the right place to settle any specific question about a particular garment.
The short version: for pyjamas, the label is what tells you where a garment stands, so look for it every time. Check the wording, check the fit, and keep nightwear well away from flames.