April 23, 2008 - CPSC Fines Companies Over Hazardous Drawstring Clothing

---

Eight companies have agreed to pay a fine totaling $320,000 for selling children’s clothing with drawstrings that posed a strangulation hazard to children.  According to an announcement by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the companies were required by federal law to report to the CPSC that children’s hooded sweatshirts and jackets sold in their stores had drawstrings.

There have been 17 recalls of more than 190,000 pieces of children’s clothing since April because the sweatshirts and jackets had drawstrings at the hood or neck. 

An 11-year-old industry standard mandates that manufacturers refrain from using drawstrings in the neck area of children’s outerwear and to ensure that drawstrings at the waist are of a certain length and are sewn in place at the back of the garment. 

The standard is routinely ignored in the clothing industry, however, which has resulted in 22 deaths and 40 non-fatal incidents from January 1985 through January 1999, the CPSC reported.

The CPSC has fined eight companies that did not report that they were selling children’s clothing with hazardous drawstrings within the mandatory 24-hour time period after learning of a product’s defect. The eight companies that agreed to pay the fine are Life is Good Inc., True Religion Apparel Inc., The Cayre Group Ltd., DollarDays International, LLC, Kohl’s Department Stores Inc., Seena International Inc., Neiman Marcus Group Inc, and Gildan Activewear SRL.

Although they agreed to pay the fine, none of the eight firms has admitted any wrongdoing.  It is unlikely that the small fines will encourage other companies to follow drawstring standards in the future.