Sixteen percent of children's garments did not pass safety guidelines and pose a strangulation hazard to toddlers, according to the Consumers' Foundation (CF).
A recent study by the CF and the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection (BSMI) showed that some children garments do not comply with drawstring safety guidelines, which have been created to prevent young children from being entangled.
This year, all children's clothing passed safety inspections of formaldehyde emission — a substance sometimes used in fabrics that has been shown to increase the risk of cancer among people, said the CF.
But out of the selected 32 garments, five did not pass drawstring safety guidelines (16 percent) and 19 did not meet labeling standards (59 percent), said Chuang Su-ching, BSMI secretary general.
Chuang explained that the safety guidelines apply to neck, sleeves and waist areas, as well as those on the hem of skirts.
Drawstrings with two free ends are prohibited, and waist drawstrings cannot be longer than 14 centimeters, she continued.
She added that drawstrings on the hem of skirts, when left untied, cannot be longer than 36 centimeters or the length of the skirt.
A drawstring accident took place February this year in California, when a three-year-old child wearing a hooded sweatshirt was strangled to death by the drawstrings, which were caught in a machine at an entertainment site.
The incident raised awareness of local children's products with drawstrings, said the CF.
It is essential for parents to recognize the possible dangers that drawstrings can bring, Chuang said. She advised parents to select simple designs for children when purchasing garments.
Parents should also avoid clothing with peculiar smells, particularly items for babies, Chuang said, adding that special attention should be paid to the item's origin, the manufacturing company's details, the materials used, and washing instructions.
