How nightwear and loungewear are made
Knitted pyjamas, nightshirts and lounge sets are cut from cotton jersey or interlock, often with rib cuffs and an elastic or drawcord waist. Woven pyjamas use poplin, voile or flannel, sometimes with piping and button fronts. Loungewear adds brushed-back fleece and viscose or modal jersey. Knitted nightwear comes from Tirupur, a Town of Export Excellence for hosiery, and IBEF lists nightdresses among India's leading apparel exports.
Nightwear is worn close to heaters, candles and cookers, and children's sleepwear is worn when a child is least watched. That is why the US and UK regulate it separately from day clothes. For an exporter, the main decision is made at the design stage: is a child's pyjama made from flame-resistant fabric, or cut tight-fitting so that it is outside the US sleepwear standards?
What we check on nightwear and loungewear
| Check | How it is checked | What fails |
|---|---|---|
| Tight-fit dimensions (US children's) | Chest, waist, seat, upper arm, thigh, wrist and ankle measured against the maximums in 16 CFR 1615 or 1616 for the labelled size | Any dimension over the maximum: the garment is then children's sleepwear that must be flame resistant |
| Snug-fit label and hangtag | Label at the centre back below the size read; hangtag checked on each sampled piece | Missing or misplaced "Wear Snug-fitting, Not Flame Resistant" label, missing hangtag |
| UK fire labels | Label wording, colour and position checked against the style and market | Adult nightwear without a fire label; children's nightdress or dressing gown without evidence it meets BS 5722 |
| Fabric surface and weight | Brushed, napped or pile surfaces noted; GSM checked on an offcut | Fabric differs from the one tested, such as brushed instead of plain |
| Waistband elastic | Waist stretched to the spec extension and released; measured relaxed and extended | Elastic that does not recover, twisted elastic, broken stitches in the casing |
| Set matching | Top and bottom of each set compared for size, shade and print | Different sizes or shades in one set, print not aligned across pieces |
| Pilling and lint | Brushed surfaces rubbed by hand; inside of packs checked for loose fibre | Heavy pilling or shedding against the approved sample |
Common nightwear and loungewear defects and how they are classed
| Defect | Typical cause | Class |
|---|---|---|
| US children's pyjama over the tight-fit limit and not flame resistant | Pattern graded too loose, or fabric that shrinks less than expected | Critical |
| Missing snug-fit label or hangtag | Labels not ordered for the US version of a style | Critical or major by your list |
| Missing UK fire label | UK and other markets' labels mixed at sewing | Critical or major by your list |
| Waistband elastic not recovering | Low-quality elastic or over-stretching at sewing | Major |
| Top and bottom of a set in different sizes | Mixed up at pairing and packing | Major |
| Drawcord at the waist pulls out | Cord not fixed at the centre back | Major |
| Light pilling on brushed fabric | Fibre and brushing finish | Minor against the approved sample |
Your defect list decides the final class.
Fire rules for nightwear by market
| Market | Rule | What it requires |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 16 CFR 1615 (up to size 6X) and 16 CFR 1616 (sizes 7 to 14) | Children's sleepwear must be flame resistant, unless it is tight-fitting within the size limits and labelled, or an infant garment sized 9 months or smaller |
| United States | 16 CFR 1610 | Adult nightwear and loungewear fabric must not be Class 3. Brushed flannel, fleece and light viscose need testing |
| United States | CPSIA | Children's sleepwear needs a Children's Product Certificate. CPSC treats sleepwear for ages 3 and under as a child care article, so phthalate limits apply to prints and plastic trims |
| United Kingdom | Nightwear (Safety) Regulations 1985 | Children's nightdresses and dressing gowns must meet the BS 5722 flammability requirement. Children's pyjamas, terry bathrobes and garments for babies up to 3 months are exempt but labelled. Adult nightwear must carry a "KEEP AWAY FROM FIRE" or "LOW FLAMMABILITY TO BS 5722" label |
| European Union | EN 14878 and the GPSR | EN 14878 sets flammability requirements for children's nightwear and is the usual evidence that it is safe |
The burn tests are done by a lab. An inspector can measure tight-fit dimensions, check labels and hangtags, and confirm the fabric matches the tested fabric; see lab testing coordination.
Packing, transit and your purchase order
Pyjama sets are usually folded together in one polybag, sometimes on a hanger or with a card insert. The inspector opens sampled packs to check both pieces, the size on each, and that labels for the right market are in the garments. US and UK versions of one style should be packed and marked separately, because their labels differ.
- Market for each style, and whether children's pyjamas are flame resistant or tight-fitting.
- Size chart with the tight-fit maximums for US children's sizes.
- Fabric, surface finish and weight, matched to the lab report.
- Fire labels and hangtags by market, with wording and position.
- Elastic type and waist extension.
- Set composition and packing method.
For children's day clothes, see children's clothing. For knitted tops, see T-shirts and knit tops.
Sources
- eCFR: 16 CFR Part 1615, children's sleepwear sizes 0 through 6X
- 16 CFR 1615.1, definitions incl. tight-fitting and infant garments (Cornell LII)
- eCFR: 16 CFR Part 1616, children's sleepwear sizes 7 through 14
- eCFR: 16 CFR Part 1610, flammability of clothing textiles
- Business Companion (UK trading standards): New nightwear
- CPSC: Phthalates business guidance
- DGFT: Appendix 1B, Towns of Export Excellence (Tirupur, hosiery)
- IBEF: Apparel industry and exports (updated Oct 2026)