Glossary

In developmental psychology, the experience of acting from one's own volition rather than under pressure. Supporting it means taking the child's perspective, offering real choices inside clear limits, and dropping the language of control ("you have to", "you should"). It is not the same as letting a child do whatever they want: a meta-analysis within Self-Determination Theory associates autonomy support with higher child wellbeing (r = 0.30) and psychological control with higher distress (r = 0.26).

A synthetic elastic fibre, also sold as spandex or Lycra, added in small percentages to give a fabric recovery. It is a petrochemical polymer, so it sheds microplastics. Its effect is disproportionate to its share: research has found that fabric containing just 2% elastane can release up to 28,100 microfibres per square metre in its first wash.

A substance that interferes with the hormonal system. In textiles the concern centres on chemical additives used in dyeing and finishing, including bisphenols and phthalates, which can reach the body through skin contact or inhalation. It describes a category of substance, not a verdict on any particular garment.

The release of loose fibres from a fabric through friction, agitation or heat. It happens with every textile. What makes it a pollution problem is the material: when the fibre is synthetic, what comes loose is a microplastic. Shedding is highest in the first washes and in fabrics with a cut pile, such as fleece.

The small, precise coordination of hands and fingers: fastening a button, pulling a zip, gripping a pencil. In dressing, it is usually the limiting factor before the age of four, which is why elastic waists and wide necks matter more than fit at that age.

The design principle that a garment should not restrict a child's natural range of motion. In practice it is a description of what a garment does not do: it does not pull, ride up, need adjusting or have to be thought about. It is not a claim about developmental outcomes.

It certifies the fibre and the process: at least 95% certified organic fibre for the "organic" label, at least 70% for "made with organic", and an audit that follows the material through every stage of the supply chain, including social criteria based on ILO conventions. Version 7.0 prohibits PFAS in its restricted substances list. A Scope Certificate states that a facility is certified; a Transaction Certificate states that a specific shipment of fabric is.

The large, whole-body coordination behind walking, running, climbing, crouching and balancing. Between the ages of two and ten these movements shift from deliberate to automatic, which frees a child's attention for what they are doing rather than how they are doing it.

Any piece of plastic smaller than five millimetres. In textiles they take the form of fibres rather than fragments, shed from synthetic fabrics during wear, washing and drying. The European Environment Agency ranks textiles as the fourth largest source of unintentional microplastic release in Europe.

Fibres of plant or animal origin: cotton, linen, hemp, wool, silk. They shed fibres too, but those fibres biodegrade and are not plastic. Cellulosic fibres such as viscose, modal and lyocell are made from plant matter through heavy chemical processing, so they are neither fully natural nor synthetic.

A family of textile certifications. The best known, STANDARD 100, tests the finished product: every thread, button and accessory is checked against a list of over 1,000 harmful substances. Products are graded into four classes by skin contact, the strictest covering babies and children up to three years. It does not require organic fibre and does not audit the supply chain.

Cotton grown under certified organic agricultural standards, which exclude synthetic pesticides and fertilisers and genetically modified seed. The term describes how the fibre was farmed and nothing after that: the same cotton still has to be spun, knitted, dyed, cut and sewn, and those stages answer to a different set of standards. Certifications such as GOTS exist precisely because "organic" on its own stops at the field.

A family of thousands of synthetic compounds used to make fabric repel water, oil and stains. They do not break down in the environment, which is why they are called forever chemicals. From 10 October 2026 the EU bans PFHxA, one of them, in clothing and footwear. GOTS version 7.0 prohibits PFAS across its restricted substances list.

Play a child starts, shapes and ends without an adult directing it. It is where risk assessment, spatial awareness, negotiation and independence get practised, because the child is the one making the decisions. Survey data show a generational drop: 70% of mothers recall daily outdoor free play in their own childhood, against 31% who report it for their children.

A description of how a garment is constructed to reduce tactile discomfort: no sewn-in neck label, flat seams, softer cloth and elastic that holds without gripping. No standard or regulator defines the term, so it carries whatever meaning the brand using it assigned. It describes construction, not a clinical outcome.

Fibres made from petrochemical polymers, spun into thread and woven or knitted into fabric. Polyester, nylon, polyamide, acrylic and elastane are the common ones in children's clothing. They do not biodegrade, and they shed microplastics.

A durable water repellent finish, applied to the outer surface of a fabric so that water beads and rolls off rather than soaking in. Historically these finishes have relied on PFAS chemistry. The finish is a coating rather than part of the fibre, which is why it degrades with washing and why some garments come with reproofing instructions.

Parenting that intrudes on a child's inner world in order to change the child rather than the behaviour, through techniques such as guilt induction, withdrawal of affection and invalidating what the child feels. It is distinct from behavioural control, which is the communication and enforcement of clear expectations and is not associated with the same costs.