Taggies brand rompers recalled

I have posted previously about Taggies brand blankets and related products. They are known for aggressively enforcing and protecting their patent on their security blankets. I have previously talked about how this kind of patent is ridiculous, but there is not much that can be done unless someone wants to be a test case in a patent infringement lawsuit.

Anyway, the company Rashti and Rashti (They are listed as the importer and official licensee) has issued a recall for Taggies infant sleepers. The sleepers are being recalled for snaps that can detach. The sleepers were sold in several big box retailers. This kind of recall is not unusual. Improperly applied snaps can easily fall or pull out. Painted snaps should be tested for lead.

I would post the pictures of the sleepers here, but the Taggies people are so aggressive about sending out cease and desists, I don't want any trouble (even though the images are technically in the public domain). Just follow the links to the official recall notice. There is a small link on the main Taggies page about the recall.

BTW, if you visit the What's New page at the Taggies website, you can see the types of products they will attempt to protect with their patent. The patent is supposed to protect related products and you can see their version of related products is extensive. All they've done is add ribbon loops to various products. To me this is not a question of protecting a unique product worthy of a patent. Instead it is a form of brand protection over a certain look. I am still flummoxed on how they achieved patent protection over the simple idea of inserting a ribbon loop into a seam. Maybe I should try to patent shoelaces?

Neckline Finishes Examples

A friend asked me about the typical neckline finishes on childrenswear. There is a difference in the type of finish between adult and children's clothing. Adult clothing utilizes either linings, facings, and occasionally a bias binding finish. Children's clothing eliminates most facings, unless they are top-stitched down. Facings get in the way of dressing a child and roll out frequently. Another option is to have a full, flat lining usually seen on special occasion dresses. The majority of neckline finishes on children's clothing consists of bias binding.

There are several advantages to using bias binding. It is inexpensive and relatively easy to apply - you eliminate extra pattern pieces and reduce fabric usage. A bias facing is relatively flat and smooth, which may increase comfort. A bias facing can be made of self-fabric or contrasting. It can become a design element.

Here are just a few examples:

This is a typical example. This button-front, velveteen dress has a bias facing made of the same fabric as the collar. Usually the facing is made of the same fabric as the collar, rather than the body of the garment. This is so the facing appears to blend with the collar and not show from the front. If there were no collar, the neckline would still be finished with a bias facing, but the color would match the dress instead.





This is a sweatshirt style jacket. The bias facing is made of a cotton broadcloth that matches the decorative stitching. This is a good example of how the facing can be a design element. It also disguises an otherwise unsightly seam.





A bias facing used on a knit style top that has a back zipper opening. The end of the bias is turned under near the top of the zipper. No need for a special facing pattern to deal with the zipper.






This is an example of a poorly executed use of a regular facing. The facing is much too narrow and floats up. The seam is bulky because of the ruffle sandwiched between the facing and the neck. This is a size 3-6M top and the facing and bulky neckline seam could be an irritant. The neckline seam should be serged together to reduce bulk and the facing should be top-stitched down. A bias facing would probably work better.

Childrens clothing and small objects

It may seem obvious that children should not have small objects. The Consumer Product Safety Commission announces recalls about small toys and objects that are choking hazards for children every year. This only proves there are still many opportunities for children to find small objects and put them in their mouths. This even includes small objects found on clothing.

There are many small objects that can be found on children's clothing. Buttons, ribbon flowers, zipper pulls, snap parts and other attached trims can easily work themselves loose and become a choking hazard. If you are a designer of children's clothing, this is something you must pay attention to.

Any attached trims must be securely attached. There are various methods by which this can be done, so I won't detail them here. The important thing is to test your clothing by sending it to a testing lab or by performing the test yourself. In fact, you should test a pre-production sample, test during production, and test post-production. This may sound like overkill, but I have inspected product and found problems all three times. I have inspected imported (and domestic) goods where the contractors sewed ribbon flowers on with only three stitches or buttons by a couple of hand stitches. These problems were serious enough, I have sent entire production runs for repair.

I call this kind of test a pull test. A testing lab may call it something else. The test is performed by determining the amount of force required to pull a trim off. When I worked on some private label programs the amount force a trim was required to withstand was 10lbs of force for 10 seconds. If you are also involved in a private label program, this information should be included in a quality manual, as it may vary with each company. I don't know where this particular standard came from (probably ASTM), but it seems to be a good guide in my experience. BTW, you can purchase quality standard information from ASTM.

You can perform this test yourself if you purchase a push-pull gauge. The gauge will come with a hook that you can hook around a trim. Apply the force gradually by pulling until you get up to about 10lbs and hold. If the trim is going to come off, it will do it while you are pulling up to 10lbs. After you do this test, make sure to record it on a quality test/audit page for each style.

A retailer should give a quick inspection to clothing before putting them on a sales rack. If you find any loose trims, return it to the manufacturer.

I have never heard of a product recall for loose buttons or trims. That doesn't mean it couldn't happen. So test, test, test.... Better safe than sorry.

Hawaiian Paradise Line pt. 3 : Adding flowers

This is my favorite part of the production process. Decoration time! The dresses really come alive. Here are some sneak peaks at some of the silk flowers and ribbons I used on these dresses:



The flowers have a pin back for easy removal during cleaning. The pins have a safety latch to prevent poking by a sharp point.



I had many flowers to choose from!



I love the combination of pink and light green! Very pretty.