I take safety for you and your loved ones seriously. There are rules put forth by the Consumer Safety Product Commission that governs what can and cannot be used for children's clothing and products which includes things like bibs, hairbows, blankets, etc. The rules involve flammability, lead, choking hazards, etc. Not all shops follow them (although they are supposed to). Everything I sell is proudly CPSC compliant. If a shop doesn't say whether or not they are, make sure to ask! If they're compliant, they'll know; there's a lot of research and paperwork involved. If you have questions about what CPSC compliancy involves, let me know and I can direct you to resources.

Crinkle squares: machine wash warm, hang or lay flat to dry.

Clothing, unless otherwise marked: Machine wash warm, tumble dry low. Do not bleach. Things like borax and non-chlorine bleach (or oxyclean) may cause premature wear, so use sparingly.

Usually about 3 weeks from the day you order to the day it ships. During the off-season it might be a little quicker. If it’s going to take longer than that due to special ordering, I’ll let you know. You’ll get a tracking number when it ships.

Minky has a pile, sort of like fur. Some minky has short pile, like a buzz haircut, some of it has a deep pile like a shag. Fleece doesn’t have a pile, it’s just pretty flat. Because minky has pile, it’s super soft and silky. Fleece is still soft, just not furry soft.

Technically speaking, they’re both made of polyester. Some minky is thicker than other minky. They both break the wind rather well, which in my personal opinion is more chilling than a low temperature, and they both help maintain body heat really well. So my official non-scientific opinion is “the difference is negligible, get what you like.”

I’ve yet to see stained fleece from food, mud, or poo thus far. Even if you got something really gross ground into it, polyester is pretty forgiving to things like stronger detergents (minus possible pilling). My son's favorite thing to do is play in mud and his poncho washes clean every time.

Besides that it’s the best thing everrrr? Yes. When you first get your minky poncho, you might find some fuzzies on it. It’s not shedding, it’s just leftover fuzz from me making it. When I cut out the poncho, there’s that fuzz everywhere. On me, my table, my sewing machine, my cats, everything. After sewing it, all the shedding edges are enclosed twice, but there’s some leftover fuzz that’s transferred. I give it a good shake before packaging it but I likely didn’t get it all.

No, because I hate them. True story. Hey, everybody's got their sewing quirks :D. It's easier for me to keep snaps in stock anyway. But remember, you don’t have to unbutton or unzip the poncho. Just throw it over their heads. 3 seconds flat and you’re on your way!

The sizing goes by clothing size. Size Baby fits 6-24 months, size Toddler fits 2T-4T, size Kid fits 4-6 years, size Big Kid fits 6-8 years. If your child is already at the top reaches of a poncho (for instance, is wearing 4T clothing), I'd definitely get the next size up (in that case, size Kid). If you're getting a poncho for a baby shower, i'd recommend the size Baby.
Chin to bottom hem length is approximately as follows: 11 inches Baby, 12 inches Toddler, 16 inches Kid, 18 inches Big Kid. A properly sized LancyPants poncho is designed to have the bottom hem hit between their waist and mid-thigh when standing, much like a jacket would. when sitting, it drapes a bit lower. If you prefer a longer length, size up.

That's a great question, and the answer is, that's going to depend on you and your child's individual needs. If you frequently find that their legs get cold, it's probably a great idea. If they have some walking ability and you're worried about tripping, maybe not a good idea. If you're already dealing with making sure cords don't get tangled, might be too much of a hassle. Feel free to send me a message and we can talk it through.