What are the requirements of the ASTM F1816-97 Standard Safety Specification for Children's Top Straps ("Standard")?

Generally speaking, this standard prohibits the use of drawstrings in the hood and neck area of children's tops ranging in size from 2T to 12. In addition, it also limits the length of the drawstring at the waist and bottom of children's tops ranging in size from 2T to 16 to 3 inches. When the clothes are unfolded to their maximum width, the drawstring channel is used. For sizes 2T to 16, the standard prohibits the use of elbows, knots, and other accessories at the free end of the drawstring for the waist and bottom of the jacket. This standard further requires that if the waist or bottom drawstring of size 2T to 16 jackets is a continuous rope, it must be reinforced (i.e. sewn to prevent the drawstring from pulling out of its channel).

What are the hazards?

If the upper layer of clothing worn by young children is hung on other objects, it may cause serious injury or death. CPSC staff learned that between January 1985 and September 2009, there were 18 fatalities and 38 non fatal incidents related to neck/hood drawstrings on children's outerwear, involving children aged 18 months to 10 years old. Among them, the most common accident scenario involves rope entanglement on a playground slide. Usually, when a child comes down the slide, the buckle or knot on the pull rope will get stuck in a small space or gap at the top of the slide. Examples of capture points include small spaces between protruding bolts or guardrails and sliding platforms. This may pose a risk of suffocation and lead to death.

What if the size of the clothes is not using a digital system?

To facilitate the determination of which sizes of clothing in the non digital system (2T to 16) are equivalent to sizes 2T to 16, this rule stipulates that girls' large (L) and boys' large (L) clothing are equivalent to sizes 12. Girls' plus size (XL) and boys' plus size (XL) clothing are equivalent to size 16. For girls and boys, letters or text sizes smaller than the larger size of clothing (L) or extra large (XL) (if applicable) are equivalent to the corresponding smaller numerical sizes. The fact that a piece of clothing is marked as larger than large (L) or extra large (XL) (if applicable) does not necessarily mean that the product is not in the size range of 2T to 12, or is in the range of 2T to 16.

What do you mean by "non scalable" and "fully scalable"?

This standard defines a drawstring as "a non retractable rope, ribbon, or tape of any material used to pull various parts of a jacket together to provide a closure effect." This standard exempts the requirement for children's jackets with fully retractable straps. Although the standard does not define the terms' non retractable 'and' fully retractable ', if ropes, ribbons, or tape cannot be fully retracted, they are not retractable. Only ropes, ribbons, or tape with all of the following characteristics can be fully retracted: after the user adjusts it to any degree of tightness and then releases it, it will automatically fully retract into the clothing without any effort from the user to retract it, leaving only a buckle, knot, elbow joint, or other attachment at the end that is flush with the outside of the clothing. For example, ropes protruding from clothing and non protruding ropes with freely swinging elbow joints do not form fully retractable ropes. But please note that there should be no buckles, knots, elbows, or other attachments on the waist or bottom drawstring.