Product Safety Pertaining to Ultra-Plush Fabric
The safety of children is always our highest priority. We recognize the concerns for both Finger Entanglement (outlined below) as well as Fiber Shedding with the ultra plush fur. Fiber shedding can happen when a child sucks the product and small pieces can detach from the creature and can be swallowed. For these reasons, products with ultra-plush fabric are not suitable for children under 3 years of age and we recommend they are not left unattended with children.
Finger Entanglement due to Hair Tourniquet Syndrome
Learn more here: https://www.thebump.com/a/baby-hair-tourniquet
We are aware of a few very young children that got their fingers stuck in the fur of a very well-loved, ultra-plush Slumberkinscausing this issue. No children were seriously harmed, but the “what if” weighs heavy on our hearts.
We’ve always prided ourselves on learning the ins and outs of the safety-testing process as we have grown Slumberkins and we are always proud to share that all Slumberkins are safety-tested at the highest industry standard, this includes Slumberkins with ultra-plush fur. However, products with ultra-plush fur are age-graded only for children 3 years and up and are not suitable for children under 3 years of age. And it is imperative detailed washing and drying instructions provided with every product are followed to maintain the safety and integrity of the fabric.
Visit our FAQ page for reference.
What the safety-testing process (for the entire toy industry) doesn’t take into account is the wear, tear, and matting that can happen to the fur over time, along with how little ones might use things like a hair strand or other items to self-soothe.
After doing extensive research within the industry, we have not seen any other plush toy or baby product companies mention these concerns within their safety instructions even though their products use the same material or even longer fur.
As mothers, we are thankful for the messages we have received that brought both of these issues to our attention. We want to make sure that you are all aware of this potential danger - with Slumberkins, other plush toys, blankets, and/or hair.
As the owners of Slumberkins, we are currently doing more work behind the scenes and taking steps to highlight this with any ultra-plush fur creatures. We will be including new inserts in shipping boxes and adding stickers to the back of a box to products with ultra-plush fabric.
For existing ultra-plush Slumberkins out there being loved by your littles, please rest assured that they have all passed our safety testing. This message is simply meant to raise awareness of this issue and take notice if your child tends to use this as a self-soothing technique, while also reminding our community to use the care instructions and brush out any matted fur. Please always follow the washing instructions below.
Washing Instructions:
All Slumberkins should be washed prior to giving them to your child. Machine wash using cold water and lay flat to dry.
Wash as needed. DO NOT use fabric softener or dryer sheets or dry on high heat, as it can damage the fabric and cause extreme matting. DO NOT allow the ultra-plush Slumberkins to become matted. Wash the item and gently brush out fabric to remove knots or discard. As with any plush, minky material product, the original softness will change over time with washing.
If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to email us at hello@slumberkins.com.
