How do you describe Karate gi and belt? What is it, some clothing, some equipment, or more than that? This is an excellent piece of equipment, because it allows you to move without restraint, keeps you warm, and at the same time allows you to sweat.
The type of equipment that improves your technique with improved control, accuracy, and a garment that also camouflages your body from straight punches and kicks is free of buttons and zippers, and of course, it hides your bruises. That’s all there is to it? Oh, no, although this is the end for many, this is just the beginning.
Japanese farmers initially used your karate gi as traditional working equipment. It provided comfort while working. Nevertheless, as we all know, nothing in Japanese culture is what it seems, and everything is layered with meaning.
The knot on the belt is also an energetic function. The Japanese believe our soul lives in our hara, which the Indians believe is our Svadisthana chakra, where life energy is located. Even the tightness of the belt corresponds to the rotation of the chakra.
What is the color of Karate Gi?
It wasn’t white at the beginning; it was more brown-grey. White symbolizes, in a symbolic way that we are all the same, despite the differences in the colors of our belts (Jigoro Kano, the founder of Judo, introduced this in the future).
Purity, innocence, light, goodness, heaven, security, safety, brilliance, illumination, wisdom, faith, a new beginning, spirituality, humility, honesty, sincerity, and protection symbolize white. Through it, we become one.
Sosai later added Kyokushin kanji, which serves more than just as decorations. We transform our gi into a sacred garment by using this symbol. The gi becomes a sacred garment that we wear. When we wear it, we are reminded of our path. A positive, spiritual attitude is imposed by it.
Gis cannot be worn as a dance or punk outfit, and they must be worn with dignity and respect. Wearing your belt behind your neck, open, is disrespectful, as we see so often. Martial arts, or the budo, and other sports might differ significantly because of the placement of gi.
As a symbol of respect, Karate belt and gi should be treated with tremendous respect; therefore, I am saddened to see that more and more people prefer technical clothing to the gi while training. All that’s sacred is lost to materialism.
How to take care of it?   Â
Each time you train, wash your Karate uniform and belt. Your Karate uniform should never be worn two consecutive times without being washed. The material will develop bacterial build-up after standing overnight, which is difficult to remove after washing.
After washing the uniform, we recommend hanging it to dry. It may take two days for your karate uniform to completely dry in humid environments. Because you cannot wear karate uniforms repeatedly without washing them, you will have to buy two or three.
If your karate gi is wet, hang it to dry right away. The belt and uniform for karate must not be left wet in the washing machine for longer than an hour, as this can lead to the growth of bacteria.
