All mattresses sold in the U.S., including crib mattresses, must meet current federal flammability standards. One standard, 16 CFR Part 1632, which has been in place for more than 30 years, covers the mattress' ability to resist ignition from a cigarette. A new performance standard, effective nationally July 1, 2007, requires that all mattresses pass an open-flame test. The standard is designed to retard the flammability of mattresses from open flames, such as lighters and matches, reducing the severity of mattress fires and buying you time to get your family out of your home safely in the event of a fire. The new standard is expected to save as many as 270 lives and prevent up to 84 percent of the injuries that occur each year from fires that start in mattresses.

Mattress manufacturers don't have to use flame-retardant chemicals. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), many fibers--including rayon, acrylics, wool, and some polyesters currently used in crib mattress foams, fillings, barriers, and ticking--are flame-resistant enough to meet both standards. Those fibers may be used in every component of a mattress or even just one to meet the new standard. But even if flame-retardant chemicals are used, they're safe. "The CPSC has extensively tested mattresses for any health problems associated with flame retardant chemicals and the risk has been proven to be insignificant," says Patty Davis, a spokesperson for the CPSC, in Bethesda, Md. If you're still concerned, however, buy a crib mattress with a vinyl covering rather than cloth. "Vinyl acts a barrier to flame-retardant chemicals used in the mattress," Davis says.