At Submission Effects, we often get the question, "How do I care for my gi?" This is a great question and is one that should be asked more often. Poor care for a gi can result in ripping or tearing, size change, foul odor, and color change. So SFX has 3 tips to give you for caring for your gi.
1. Wash your gi in cold water on the delicate cycle.
Most people don't have the time to wash gis by hand, so when you throw it in the washing machine make sure you put it on the gentle cycle. Keep your martial arts gear in its own load separate from your causal clothing. In case you haven't noticed, when you grapple and spar with multiple people the combination of sweat creates a funky odor and can contaminate your everyday clothes. So have a special load just for your bjj/mma gear. Use COLD WATER! All gis are made out of 100% cotton, and cotton shrinks in heat, so keep it cold. This will help your fabric and stitching to be stronger and last longer.
2. Use gentle detergent-fabric softener-and no bleach.
SFX recommends using Woolite for your gi. Woolite is a gentle detergent that cleans well yet isn't too harsh on the cotton. They even make products for darks and colors for those of you who train or compete in colored gis. Fabric softener not only makes your gi softer, it helps greatly with the odor of your gi. Do not use bleach. While bleach does eliminate odor and gives you a bright white appearance to your gi, bleach also weakens the strength of the cotton that your gi is made of. There are more gentle alternatives for stains and odor outside of bleach (spray-n-wash, oxi clean, febreze laundry additive, etc).
3. Drip Dry
Again, heat shrinks cotton, so don't throw your gi in the dryer. Yet don't let it sit in the washer over night either, it will mildew. Hang it on a hanger and let it dry over night. If you still like that dryer clean smell, you can put dryer sheets in the sleeves or legs of your gi while it dries. Size is important because in many tournaments (Judo especially) there are length requirements for the gi. The last thing you want to happen is to get disqualified from a competition because your gi does not fit properly.
Following these tips will add life to your gi and save you money in the long run. Your gi will keep its color and serve its purpose much longer when taken care of properly. If you have any other tips to care for your gi, please leave a comment!
