Gap Outlet Recalls Boys' Jackets; Drawstring at Waist Poses Entrapment Hazard

Recall Insight

This CPSC action (record #08152) was formally reported on December 27, 2007. It is classified under Moderate severity, with a current status of Active. Gap Outlet, operated by Gap Inc., of San Francisco, Calif. is listed as the recalling firm. Federal records indicate About 16,200 units are affected.

The documented reason for this recall is: The jackets have a waist drawstring with a toggle that could become snagged or caught in small spaces or doorways, which can pose an entrapment hazard to children. Distribution information was not included in the agency filing, so consumers should assume broad potential exposure until the firm publishes point-of-sale details. The remedy documented by the agency is: Consumers should stop wearing the jacket immediately and return it to any Gap Outlet store for a full refund. Consumers who return the jacket before April 30, 2008, will also receive a $5 appreciatio… — consumers holding this product should act on that instruction rather than relying on general guidance.

To put this record in context, PlainRecalls indexes 83,949 recalls across the FDA, CPSC, NHTSA and USDA FSIS going back to 1995. Within the same product category, the database holds 6 closely related recalls, of which 1 were also issued by CPSC. That clustering is a signal — repeated actions in a narrow category often indicate a systemic quality-control issue, a supplier-wide contamination, or a design defect that has propagated across product lines. This recall is roughly 19 years old; older recalls can remain relevant because many units enter resale, rental, and secondary-market channels where the original warning never reaches the end user. Always cross-check the recall number against the official agency page before relying on any summary.