Blanket sleepers are typically used as practical garments worn by young children in the home. Therefore, fashion and style are really not important in the design. The basic design of blanket sleeper children's wear hasn't changed much over the years. The newest addition was organic cotton versions which have appeared in recent years.
This type of children's wear is designed mainly to keep children warm at night, even without blankets and bed covers. The blanket sleeper actually covers the entire body except for the heads and hands. It is snug around the wrists and neck. The use of a zipper instead of buttons or snap fasteners also helps maintain warmth and eliminates drafts.
This is particularly important for infants for whom loose blankets may pose a safety risk. The feet that are permanently attached can also be a benefit for children that may get up in the morning before their parents are awake and are too young to put on slippers or other footwear to keep their feet warm.
The children's wear is designed so that it can be worn either as a standalone garment or as a second layer over regular pajamas or other children's sleepwear. The one-piece design makes it easy to launder and also has no detachable pieces to get lost.
Due to strict flammability requirements on children's sleepwear, the materials used are very limited. The primary materials used since the 1950s are acrylic, polyester and modacrylic. Unfortunately, some children find these materials uncomfortable so there recently has been an introduction of organic cotton sherpa that uses no flame retardants or other chemicals.
Another benefit of blanket sleeper children's wear is that it can help prevent infants from removing or interfering with their diapers during the night. This can even apply to some older children that may have Angelman syndrome or other certain developmental disabilities.
There is typically no difference in appearance or sizing on blanket sleepers children's wear, so they can be worn by either sex. Although some colors and patterns may be targeted towards a specific sex, such as frilly patterns or the pink color which is typically worn by girls. Even though blanket sleepers are typically made for children, there are designs being made for adults as well. Although adult blanket sleepers are much less common.
