Australia issues $1M fine for flammable children's sleepwear

The Australian Federal Court has fined a children's sleepwear brand $1 million in relation to its supply of unsafe children's nightdresses and pajamas.

According to Product Safety Australia, Cotton On Kids Pty Ltd supplied 2,500 children's nightdresses and pajamas which were "...so flammable that they should not have been supplied in Australia at all." Further, the nightwear was mislabeled as "low fire danger."

The infants' and children's nightwear was supplied across Australia between September-December 2010.

The Court's penalty of $1 million - representing the highest imposed against a company for breaches of a mandatory product safety standard - was comprised of:

• $400,000 for contraventions relating to the sale of nightdresses that did not comply with Australia's mandatory standard for nightwear flammability;
• $400,000 for contraventions relating to the sale of pajamas that did not comply with the standard;
• $100,000 for contraventions relating to the misrepresentations regarding the nightdresses; and
• $100,000 for contraventions relating to the misrepresentations regarding the pajamas

For more on children's sleepwear flammability requirements, in Australia or otherwise, contact Compliance & Risks.