Three recalls of <"https://www.yourlawyer.com/practice_areas/product_liability">children’s jackets with dangerous drawstrings have been implemented, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) just announced. In all three cases, the recalls were initiated because the children’s jackets have drawstrings through the hood, which can pose a strangulation hazard to children. In every case, the CPSC is advising consumers to immediately remove the drawstrings from the sweatshirts to eliminate the hazard.
Fourteen years ago, the CPSC issued guidelines to help prevent children from strangling or becoming entangled on the neck and waist by drawstrings in upper garments, such as jackets and sweatshirts. In 1997, industry adopted a voluntary standard for drawstrings that incorporated these guidelines. In May 2006, the CPSC’s Office of Compliance issued an announcement that such outerwear with drawstrings at the hood or neck would be regarded as both defective and a substantial risk of injury to young children.
Unfortunately, the CPSC guidelines are routinely ignored by the clothing industry, and that attitude has had deadly consequences for some children. From January 1985 through January 1999, the CPSC received reports of 22 deaths and 48 non-fatal entanglement incidents involving drawstrings on children’s clothing.
To date, no incidents or injuries have been reported in any of these specific cases. In some cases, the recalled hooded sweatshirts were manufactured in China, a country long associated with products that have been found to be dangerous and linked to an increasing and significant string of recalls.
Locks All Over Boys’ Hoody, All Over Skaters Boy’s Hoody, Rock Mask Boy’s Hoody
About 2800 Locks All Over Boys’ Hoodies, All Over Skaters Boy’s Hoodies, and Rock Mask Boy’s Hoodies, which were manufactured by Locks All Over and All Over Skater by Timex, of China and Rock Mask Hoody by Bordados, of Peru have been recalled. Brand Evolution, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania distributed the hoodies that come in three styles: All Over Locks style #MSK7SK3400B in white with colored printed padlocks in sizes S, M, L and XL; All Over Skaters style #SKATBS7K302B in white with red and orange skaters in S, M, L, and XL; and Rock Mask Hoody style #KROCKF7K300K in solid black with imprint in sizes 4, 5, 6, and 7. The recalled hoody sweatshirt jackets were sold at the Burlington Coat Factory, Amm One Inc., Avante, Dr. Jays, Stop, E & J Lawrence Corp., Exclusive Wear, G-Pulse Apparel, Hip Hop World, Nouveau, Stop Kid, Unica, and Village Mart.
Brand Evolution can be reached toll-free at (877) 330-3911 between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday or at the firm’s Web site at www.burlingtoncoat.com
Girls’ Cargo Pocket Jackets
About 600 Girls Cargo Pocket Jackets, which were manufactured in China and imported by Byer California (DBA Amy Byer, Philly) of San Francisco, California have been recalled and include girls’ brown cargo pocket jackets sold in sizes small through extra-large—the style number 2029G1J is printed on the tag inside the jacket—at Burlington Coat Factory, Bon Ton Stores, and juvenile clothing retail stores nationwide from December 2008 through September 2009 for about $12.
Byer California can be reached, toll-free, at 1-800-998-2937 between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Pacific Time, Monday through Friday or at the firm’s Web site at www.burlingtoncoatfactory.com
Girl’s Hooded Jackets with Drawstrings
About 3,600 Girl’s Hooded Jackets with Drawstrings, which were distributed by Regaliti Inc., of New York, New York have been recalled and includes girl’s cropped jackets in a velvet-like material with a hoodie that has a drawstring. The jackets were sold under the Betty Blue brand name in pink, red, blue, and brown, and in children’s sizes small through XL. Betty Blue Girls is printed on the hangtag on the neck. The recalled Girl’s Hooded Jackets with Drawstrings were manufactured in Hong Kong and sold exclusively at Burlington Coat Factory stores, nationwide, from November 2007 through September 2009 for about $4.
Regaliti can be reached, collect, at 1-212-840-0202 between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., Eastern Time, Wednesday through Friday. The Burlington Coat Factory’s Web site can be accessed at www.burlingtoncoatfactory.com
