NEWS from CPSC

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Office of Information and Public Affairs Washington, DC 20207

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:
January 5, 1998 (301) 504-7908
Release # 98-050

CPSC, Hardwick Knitted Fabrics Inc. Announce Recall of Fleece Garments

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Hardwick Knitted Fabrics Inc. of West Warren, Mass., announces the recall of an estimated 16,800 fleece garments. Most of the garments are children's vests and pants; infant shirts; men's shirts; and ladies' tops, top and pants sets, and robes. These garments, which fail to meet federal mandatory standards for fabric flammability, could ignite readily and present a serious risk of burn injuries in violation of the Federal Flammable Fabrics Act. Fabrics that do not comply with the standard typically burn faster than newspaper.

Hardwick Knitted Fabrics Inc. and CPSC are not aware of any injuries involving these garments. This recall is being conducted to prevent the possibility of injuries.

Only the red and navy colors of this fabric are being recalled. The fabric is an 80 percent cotton and 20 percent polyester blend material with a raised fiber surface. Its fleecy texture closely resembles an inside-out sweatshirt and is sometimes called sherpa.

The Recalled Garments


The fleece garments were sold from August 1996 to July 1997 for about $20 to $75, depending on the type of garment.

Consumers should stop using these garments immediately and return them to the store where purchased for a refund. For more information about this recall, consumers should call (888) 424-8223 toll-free between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m EST Monday through Friday.



The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission protects the public from the unreasonable risk of injury or death from 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury and for information on CPSC's fax-on-demand service, call CPSC's hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270. To order a press release through fax-on-demand, call (301) 504-0051 from the handset of your fax machine and enter the release number. Consumers can obtain this release and recall information at CPSC's web site at http://www.cpsc.gov or via Internet gopher services at cpsc.gov. Consumers can report product hazards to info@cpsc.gov.

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