Toxic pajamas (or not?)

[ecoteat]

DD got a set of pajamas for Christmas that are microfleece. (Like this, but a 2-piece: http://www.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=14520&vid=1&pid=784383&scid=784383012) I know there have been a million threads about treated pajamas, but I am still so confused. They are 100% polyester. The tag says they are flame-resistant and not to wash in soap. My understanding is that they are flame-resistant because they are made of polyester, not because the fabric was treated with additional chemicals. But if that's the case, why shouldn't they be washed in soap? How does polyester respond to soap differently than detergent?

To return them would either mean paying for shipping them to the Gap (which isn't a big deal, I guess, but I'd rather avoid if I can can) or driving an hour each way, which is hit-or-miss since I don't have a receipt anyway. And DD's uncle will ask about them and probably want to see her wearing them on Skype! Ugh. Has anyone found a definitive answer to this yet?

[Annie Mac]

Don't know if they've been treated with fire retardant or not, but I would assume the "do not wash in soap" instructions means you *can* wash in detergent. Soap can leave a film, that's probably what they're trying to avoid. That's my guess.

[Oka-san]

It appears that actual soap will affect the structure of the polyester fabric itself and render it less flame-resistant (as to the scientific explanation, I don't know why...) but detergent won't affect the structure of the fabric that way. So if you just wash them in only detergent, you should be fine.

[ecoteat]

I don't care if they are flame-resistant or not. I'm just wondering if the washing instructions imply that they are treated with additional chemicals. I wash all the laundry in detergent and I don't really care what effect it would have on these pajamas as long as they weren't toxic.

Are poly fleece jammies chemically treated? I know that Carter's says that theirs are not because the polyester is inherently flame resistant. Is that the general rule for other brands too?

[DKPA]

i recently had the same questions as you and from what I understand, 100% polyester is best avoided.  Some polyester pajamas aren't chemically treated as a whole but there are chemicals in the polyester itself added earlier in the process of making the pajamas.  However, I have seen 100% polyester pajamas that appear to still be treated with chemicals afterwards for whatever reason; if they say don't wash with soap i'm pretty sure they are treated because pajamas that are not treated usually don't say that in my experience.  Also the family dr I'll be taking my baby too recommends cotton only for babies as a means of preventive medicine and I've read polyester can cause allergies, so if it were me, I'd just pay for the shipping and return them to Gap, although I know that's a pain and chemicals in pajamas are something we should not have to worry about!

[tanyalynn]

Originally Posted by ecoteat 

I don't care if they are flame-resistant or not. I'm just wondering if the washing instructions imply that they are treated with additional chemicals. I wash all the laundry in detergent and I don't really care what effect it would have on these pajamas as long as they weren't toxic.

Are poly fleece jammies chemically treated? I know that Carter's says that theirs are not because the polyester is inherently flame resistant. Is that the general rule for other brands too?

My understanding is that yes, if they say "don't wash in soap" it's because they will become less flame resistant over time due to the soap breaking down those chemicals in a way that detergent does not. 

[nia82]

POlyester itself is highly flameable, which is why they started to treat it with flame retardents in the first place. They wash out with soap, which is why they don't want you to wash them with it. My MD sister saw a couple of bad skin burns of fire victims that wore polyester garments, it melts and becomes all liquid, is super hot and hence burns the skin like crazy.

I have heard people saying that polyester is by nature flame resistant, but it melts at least like crazy. We don't like poly anyways, way too sweaty, so only snug-fitting cotton in this house.