BJJ GI CARE

Ever wondered what the best way to care for your new GI is? Most newcomers to the sport will think you can just wash and dry it like the rest of your clothes. Wrong! Doing so could be a costly mistake and wreck your GI in more ways than one.
Below we will outline the best way to care for your GI that will help preserve its colour, size and condition.

Washing

You should always wash your GI straight away after class. Leaving it in a gym bag even if it is just overnight can lead to the GI discolouring, smelling and also harbouring germs. If left like this it can spread mat borne diseases like ringworm and Staph that can wreak havoc at your gym. Don’t be that stinky germ spreading guy. It’s not nice for your instructor or fellow students.

You should always wash your GI inside out on a cold or 30/40 degree wash. This will minimise the shrinkage and colour fading.

Washing it on a higher heat setting can result in excessive shrinkage, colour fading and also warp the lapel. Our lapels have an EVA rubber core which gives it strength and also helps it to keep its shape. Applying too much heat to this can ruin it.

It is best to wash it with a non-biological detergent as this has far fewer chemicals and will be better for you in the long run. Using a fabric conditioner is optional but it can help to keep your GI jacket soft.

Drying

Let us start by saying that you should only put your GI in a tumble dryer as the very last resort, like say that you need to shrink it if it is miles too big for you. Please see below for more information on shrinking.You should let your GI dry naturally by hang drying it on an airier or coat hanger away from all direct heat sources like a radiator. Any excessive heat can fade the colour, damage and/or weaken the stress points, warp your lapel and melt certain types of patches. Even though you want to keep it away from direct heat sources it is ok to dry outside on a clothesline on a hot day.

Make sure that when drying your GI it is fully opened out and is free to have air pass around it on all sides. So no bunched up sleeves or letting it dry on a flat surface. This may cause, it to dry unevenly and also make the GI smell damp as it cannot dry quick enough.

Ironing

If you like to iron your GI before class then please do, but do it on a low iron heat setting and with the GI inside out. Certain types of patches will melt or stick to a hot iron so it is best to avoid them coming in to contact with the iron. Please note this also includes the branded woven tape that is sometimes inside the Lapel and/or inside the sleeve or trouser cuffs.  

Shrinking

We need to point out that all GIs will shrink a little after the first wash but depending on the material the GI is made from and how you wash and dry your GI will determine how much it shrinks.
With regards to shrinking your GI, it is always best to check with the manufacturer before starting the process because all GIs will shrink differently. This can be for many reasons but the most common one would be because of the different weave materials that they are made from. Some will shrink loads on a standard wash whereas some other materials will not even shrink an inch when washed on high heat.  As a general rule of thumb single and gold weaves will shrink easier/more than say a pearl or carioca weave. This is due to the looseness or tightness of the said weaves.

As a general rule of thumb these are our top tips for shrinking your GI: