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Flame retardants are materials that inhibit or resist the spread of fire. Many different types of materials may be used as flame retardants, including minerals (such as asbestos, borates and antimony), tetrakis phosphonium salts (whose manufacture includes the use of formaldehyde), and synthetic materials (including PCBs and PBDEs).

Flame retardants are often used in children's sleepwear to ensure compliance with the CPSC requirements for children's sleepwear. They are also used in mattresses to ensure compliance with the CPSC standards for the flammability of mattresses.

Many flame retardant chemicals are considered harmful to human health and the environment. PCB's were banned in the late 1970s due to alarming evidence of their toxicity. The EU has banned several types of PBDEs for health concerns.

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