Any tricks to softening up a karate gi?

[HighKick]

I recently got a new, heavier-weight gi. The brand tag says MAP2. My older gis from this brand are as soft as an old T-shirt, so I tried washing it several times. It's still very, very still, so I tried some tricks I read about online.

1. Washed the gi five times in warm water and tumble dried it.
2. Added a generous amount of fabric softener to one wash.
3. Added 1/2 cup of baking soda to the wash water
4. Tried tumble drying in the dryer with a large ball of aluminum foil

It's a little bit softer -- maybe 5 percent -- but the arms still want to stick out when you hand the gi on a hanger.

Anyone have any advice on how to soften up the material, shy of just wearing it to a few hundred practices?

Just a hunch, but it sounds like you have a canvas gi. They will eventually get more relaxed. After a year or so.

 

[opr1945]

I had better luck on facebook market place than ebay. I checked both. As some will attest i had an addiction to shopping for used GI's for awhile. I found GI's that cost $100 new for sale for $25 or so. And some over $200 new ones for $50 to 100. many were not my size. Some time time people had to quit Karate because of moving, Dojo closing or medical complications. Many were cheap GI's that people had when they started and quit after a few months. What might interest you is that frequently the GI's for sale were quite old and no longer being made. I noticed that you said the one you are currently trying to break in was "... purchased new about seven years ago from my national organization." Others also have GI's sitting around not being used and are now being offered for sale.

I am retired and have more time than money. I enjoyed the search and found some bargins. I have given several of the GI's I purchased away to others at my Dojo.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

I recently got a new, heavier-weight gi. The brand tag says MAP2. My older gis from this brand are as soft as an old T-shirt, so I tried washing it several times. It's still very, very still, so I tried some tricks I read about online.

1. Washed the gi five times in warm water and tumble dried it.
2. Added a generous amount of fabric softener to one wash.
3. Added 1/2 cup of baking soda to the wash water
4. Tried tumble drying in the dryer with a large ball of aluminum foil

It's a little bit softer -- maybe 5 percent -- but the arms still want to stick out when you hand the gi on a hanger.

Anyone have any advice on how to soften up the material, shy of just wearing it to a few hundred practices?

Sweat fixes everything.

 

[opr1945]

Awhile back I purchased a carhart shop apron. It was stiff canvas duck. I folded it several times rolled it up and drove my car over it a bunch of times. refolded rerolled and repeated. softened it up nicely. So I tried it on a 16 oz Ronin GI that I acquired. Didn't affect it at all! Good Luck with yours.

 

[Gyakuto]

I’ve heard that a mixture of cow dung and goat’s urine in a 1:4 ratio, will soften up the stiffest canvas. Soak the canvas in the solution for at least 3 days, remove, scrape off the big bits and air dry. Do not be tempted to rinse the pee/poo solution off the canvas as it’ll stiffen up again. There’s an almost unnoticeable change in colour and for some reason, sparring partners keep their distance, but isn’t avoiding conflict what the MA are all about?

 

[dennisnorton]

To soften up your new heavy-weight karate gi, try washing it with white vinegar, which can help break down stiff fibers. Use one cup of white vinegar during the rinse cycle, followed by another wash with your regular detergent. If it’s still stiff, consider soaking the gi overnight in a solution of warm water, vinegar, and a bit of fabric softener before washing. Additionally, tumble dry the gi on a low heat setting with dryer balls or clean tennis balls to help soften the fabric further. Repeated wearing and washing will eventually soften it, but these steps can speed up the process.