Every parent wants their kids to be safe and fashionable. Fortunately, with the many stylish fabric options available in today's car seats, safety conscious parents do not have to sacrifice either option. However, there may be some circumstances when you want to add extra glitz to a car seat, such as when using an older seat for a new child of the opposite gender. Although you must be careful, there are a few ways to glam up your car seat cover.
Important Safety Considerations
Car seat manufacturers do not authorize the use of any aftermarket products on car seats. This includes homemade car seat covers, harness strap covers and adding additional head support. Using or making these types of products will void your car seat warranty and may cause your car seat to fail in the event of a crash. Car seats are rigorously tested using the manufacturer's products, and aftermarket products could react in an unknown manner during an accident. Additionally, car seats are often made with flame-retardant materials, and many consumer fabrics do not meet the same standards. Although aftermarket products remain popular because of their style or perceived comfort, they are just simply not safe to use.
Design Alternatives
Fortunately, for parents who still want to jazz up their car seat, there are a few options that are acceptable for altering the look of your car seat. The first option is to search the manufacturer's website for a new car seat cover. Car seat covers are interchangeable between seats as long as the make and model of the two seats are the same. Most major manufacturers offer dozens of designs and fabrics for each of their car seats. In addition, they also offer harness straps in different colors. Change these to a different color, or mix and match them to give your child's seat a funky look. You could add a girlie ruffle to the edge of a manufacturer's car seat cover without affecting any other part of the seat, or you could use dye to alter the color of your seat's cover. Finally, you can easily create a car seat cover that works to change the look of your seat and keep your child warm in colder months. By adding an elastic edge to material cut to fit over the outside of the seat once your child is inside, you essentially create a decorative "shower cap" for the seat. By cutting a window where your child's face is, you allow them to see both in the car and when being transported other places.
Tags: your seat, seat cover, your child, aftermarket products, look your, look your seat
