Buying clothing and accessories online
More people in Canada are choosing to shop online for clothes, footwear and accessories. It's a great way to shop for deals, but there are safety considerations to be aware of.
On this page
General safety tips
Check for recalls
Clothing can be recalled in Canada for a variety of reasons, such as failure to meet flammability requirements, excessive amounts of lead or other chemicals, the presence of drawstrings on children's clothing and small parts releasing from young children's clothing. Before you add something to your online cart, it's important to check if it's been recalled.
Wash before you wear
Clothing is frequently treated with chemicals for various reasons during the manufacturing process. It's important to wash clothing before wearing it.
Watch out for counterfeit clothing
Clothing is one of the types of products more likely to be counterfeited. Counterfeit clothing may be low quality and may pose health concerns from hazardous chemicals and heavy metals. If the deal seems too good to be true, it could be a sign of a counterfeit item. It's important to buy from a seller that you trust. Make sure the seller is clearly identified and that you can contact them if you have an issue with the product. Look for spelling mistakes in the product advertisement. Compare the advertisement against the manufacturer's website's description of the item. Check for legitimate reviews and overall ratings from customers.
Children's clothing
Whether buying new or used children's clothing online, there are important safety tips to keep in mind.
Buttons, snaps, bows and zipper pulls
Be aware that small parts can potentially release from clothing or shoes and pose a choking hazard to young children. Since you can't examine clothing purchased online, buy from sellers you trust to make quality items.
Children's hoodies, jackets and snowsuits
Check that these items don't have drawstrings in the hood or neck area before buying them. Drawstrings can get stuck on playground equipment, fences or other objects and strangle a child. If your online purchase arrives and it includes a drawstring in the hood or neck area, be sure to remove it before your child wears the clothing. Look for jackets and snowsuits with easily detachable hoods, like those with Velcro, so that they release if caught on something. Drawstrings at the waist and bottom of upper outerwear that are longer than 7.6 cm can also pose a risk.
Children's scarves and mittens with strings
Leave scarves and mittens with strings out of your online shopping cart. Just like drawstrings, these clothing items pose a strangulation risk. Look for a neck warmer instead to keep your child warm in winter. If you're worried about your child losing their mittens, choose mitten clips instead of strings.
Flashing or light-up clothing or shoes
Be aware that flashing or light-up clothing or shoes may be powered by button batteries. These tiny batteries can be very harmful if swallowed. Look for product pictures showing the battery is in a secure compartment that children can't access. Double check the compartment once the clothing or shoes arrive.
Children's sleepwear
For sleep time, be sure to buy sleepwear instead of daywear for your child. Children's sleepwear has different flammability requirements than children's daywear. Learn more about children's sleepwear safety.
Children's jewellery
Be a smart shopper when purchasing children's jewellery online:
- Buy from reputable online retailers and sites.
- Remember to check the age recommendations. Small parts on jewellery can present a choking hazard to children under 3 years.
- Never purchase adult jewellery for children. In Canada, children's jewellery is not allowed to contain harmful levels of lead or cadmium. Chewing or swallowing jewellery containing lead or cadmium can be very harmful to children's health.
- When buying children's necklaces, consider buying ones with a break-away feature to reduce the risk of strangulation.
- If buying light-up jewellery, make sure it has a battery compartment that screws shut.
Learn more about lead and cadmium in children's jewellery.
Children's costumes
In Canada, children's costumes have been recalled for failing to meet flammability requirements, for chemical hazards and for failure to secure button batteries. Be sure to check on the safety of the costume you want to buy before checking out. Learn more about Halloween safety and choosing the right costume.