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Martial arts uniform rules and sizes, sport by sport
Each sport's rule book sets its own uniform rules. IBJJF (International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation) gis are white, royal blue or black, and high school wrestlers wear ear guards made for wrestling.
- As of November 2026
- Gis, doboks, belts and no-gi wear
- Wrestling ear guards and knee pads
The rules at a glance
The main uniform rules in each sport, as of November 2026. BJJ is Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and MMA is mixed martial arts. The IBJJF is the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation, and the IJF the International Judo Federation. The WKF is the World Karate Federation, and WT is World Taekwondo. The NFHS is the National Federation of State High School Associations, and the NCAA the National Collegiate Athletic Association. UWW is United World Wrestling, and IMMAF the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation.
| Sport | Uniform colors | Fit | Logos and patches | Gear needed | Who approves gear |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BJJ (IBJJF) | White, royal blue or black, in one color | Sleeves within 2 cm (centimeters) of the wrist, pants within 2 cm of the ankle bone | Cotton patches, sewn, in set areas | Not covered here | The IBJJF checks gis at its events |
| Judo (IJF) | White and blue gis at IJF events | Not covered here | The IJF label on every gi | Not covered here | The IJF, through its label |
| Karate (WKF) | White, with no piping or personal embroidery | Not covered here | No personal embroidery | WKF Approved sparring gear | The WKF |
| Taekwondo (WT and USA Taekwondo) | A white V-neck for sparring, collars by rank | Not covered here | WT sets each logo's place and size | A dobok and gear they approve | WT and USA Taekwondo |
| High school wrestling (NFHS) | A singlet or a two-piece uniform | Not covered here | A maker's logo once per item, up to 2 1/4 square inches | Ear guards made for wrestling | Not covered here |
| College wrestling (NCAA) | Not covered here | Not covered here | Not covered here | Ear protection, for men and women | Not covered here |
| Amateur MMA (UWW and IMMAF) | Short-sleeve rash guards in the corner color | Not covered here | Not covered here | Not covered here | Not covered here |
| No-gi grappling (IBJJF and UWW) | IBJJF: black, white, or black and white, with at least 10% of the rank color | Shorts from mid-thigh to the knee | Not covered here | UWW: compression tights under the shorts | Not covered here |
BJJ gis and belts
These lines come from the IBJJF's uniform rules, in force since June 2024.
- Colors: white, royal blue or black. The top, pants and collar are one color.
- Fabric: cotton or cotton-like, and woven for every age, kids too.
- Sleeves: they end no more than 2 cm (centimeters) from the wrist.
- Pants: they end no more than 2 cm above the ankle bone.
- Inspection: inspectors check a 1.3 cm lapel, a 5 cm collar and a 7 cm sleeve opening.
- Patches: cotton, properly sewn, and only in the areas the rule book shows.
- Belts: 4 to 5 cm wide in the rank color, with a black tip. Black belts have a white or red tip.
- AJP (Abu Dhabi Jiu-Jitsu Pro) events: sleeves may end up to 5 cm from the wrist.
- AJP fabric: the jacket fabric weighs 380 to 650 GSM (grams per square meter).
No-gi rash guards, shorts and spats
No-gi means grappling in a rash guard and shorts instead of a gi.
- IBJJF rash guards: black, white, or black and white, with at least 10% of the rank color.
- IBJJF shorts: no pockets (or pockets stitched shut), buttons, exposed drawstrings, zippers, or plastic or metal parts.
- Shorts length: at least to mid-thigh, and no lower than the knee.
- Spats: IBJJF rules name them for women only. Men may wear compression shorts under the shorts.
- UWW grappling: compression tights under the shorts are required.
Judo gis
The IJF sets its judo gis in its judogi rules of March 2026.
- Fabric: 650 to 750 GSM after washing, with more than 70% cotton.
- The collar: no thicker than 1 cm.
- The belt: all cotton, 4 to 4.5 cm wide.
- The IJF label: IJF events need gis with the IJF label. Only makers with a current IJF contract and a certificate from an IJF-approved lab may use it.
- White and blue: events with IJF-style divisions often need both a white and a blue gi.
- USA Judo: its 2025 rules for sanctioned events recommend that senior categories make a blue and a white gi mandatory.
- One US event: it lets youth wear any color. For its IJF divisions, the gi does not need the IJF label but must meet the IJF size rules.
Karate uniforms
The WKF's 2026 rules set the uniform and the gear at its events.
- WKF events: a WKF Approved white karategi (karate uniform) without piping or personal embroidery.
- Belts: red and blue belts, about 5 cm wide.
- Gear: WKF Approved sparring gear. Athletes under 14 add a helmet and more body gear.
- USA Karate: a white unmarked gi, and approved headgear for athletes under 14.
- Sport karate: events on NASKA (North American Sport Karate Association) rules ask for padded hands, feet and head for all fighters.
Taekwondo doboks
WT and USA Taekwondo set the dobok and the gear at their events.
- WT events: a WT-approved dobok and electronic scoring chest and head gear, plus the other gear its rules list.
- WT products: WT recognizes products one category at a time.
- Logos: WT sets the place and size of every logo, and bans maker marks on the dobok collar.
- USA Taekwondo sparring: a white V-neck uniform approved by WT or USA Taekwondo.
- Collars: white for color belts, black for black belts, and black and red for poom, a junior black belt rank.
- Pants: black pants are allowed.
- Demo teams: USA Taekwondo lets them wear any color.
Wrestling uniforms, ear guards and knee pads
High school, college and club wrestling each have their own rules.
- High school (NFHS): a singlet or a two-piece uniform. A maker's logo may appear once per item, up to 2 1/4 square inches.
- Names: from July 1, 2027, the wrestler's name may appear on the uniform.
- Ear guards in high school: required, and designed by the maker for wrestling. Each ear cup may carry one logo, and the straps and the chin cup none.
- College (NCAA): men's wrestling still requires ear protection, as a plan to drop it was rescinded on May 27, 2025.
- College women: an ear guard is required, and stocking-style knee pads are allowed if skin shows above and below, with a pad at the knee.
- USA Wrestling: headgear is recommended, but not required.
- USA Wrestling knee pads: a sleeve knee pad is allowed in freestyle and Greco-Roman. Skin must show above and below it, with a pad at the knee.
- Warm-ups: we found no rule on team warm-ups in these rule books.
Amateur MMA
Amateur MMA bodies set the rash guards and shorts at their events.
- UWW amateur MMA: short-sleeve rash guards, at least 70% red or blue.
- UWW shorts: no outside hook-and-loop, pockets, zippers or metal.
- IMMAF: short sleeves only, in red or blue.
Standards for sparring gear and headgear
Some rule bodies tie their approvals to lab tests.
- WKF approval: it needs a certificate from an accredited lab. Approved items carry the WKF logo and a WKF APPROVED label.
- WKF standards: its approval process names parts of the European EN 13277 standards for martial arts gear.
- ASTM F2397: an ASTM International specification for headgear in contact-limited combative sports, such as karate and taekwondo.
- Claims: a claim under it must cover the whole specification. ASTM's page for it was last updated on November 9, 2018.
How the uniforms are sized
Published size charts size each kind of uniform its own way.
- BJJ gis: A sizes for adults, F sizes for women and M sizes for kids. Adult sizes often run from A0 to A6.
- Judo, karate and taekwondo: number sizes, often from 0000 to 8 or 9, or a size label in cm.
- Rash guards and shorts: by chest and waist.
- Belts: by length, to fit the uniform size.
- Our sizes: confirmed with your quote.
Shrinkage
Cotton gis and uniforms shrink a little when they are washed.
- Pearl weave BJJ gis: published guides put them at about 3 to 5%.
- Cotton karate and taekwondo uniforms: about 3 to 5%, by published guides.
- Our gis: we confirm the shrinkage with your quote, and you check it on your sample.
What Sharknits makes
We make uniforms and gear for class, team and school use. No federation approves or labels them.
- Uniforms: BJJ gis, karate uniforms, V-neck doboks and judo gis, from 12 sets per design.
- Gear: rank belts, rash guards, grappling shorts and spats, sparring gear, and wrestling ear guards and knee pads.
- At events: check your event's rules before you order. The event's own check decides.
Where these rules come from
Read the rules themselves, and check your event's notes before you order. Most were read on November 3, 2026, and the USA Judo and ASTM pages on November 5, 2026.
- BJJ. The IBJJF's uniform rules, in force since June 2024. IBJJF: Uniform
- AJP. The AJP's uniform policies. AJP: Uniform Policies
- Judo. The IJF's judogi rules, version March 2026. IJF: Judogi Manufacturing Regulations
- USA Judo. The 2025 rules for USA Judo sanctioned events, updated November 1, 2024. USA Judo: 2025 Sanctioned Events Standard Operating Procedures
- Karate. The WKF's kumite (sparring) rules, version 2026.01, valid from January 1, 2026. WKF: Kumite Competition Rules 2026
- WKF approval. The WKF's process for approving sport items, 2025 to 2028. WKF: Sport Items Homologation Process
- USA Karate. The USA Karate rules of competition, revised March 4, 2024. USA Karate: Rules of Competition
- Taekwondo. WT's competition rules, in force since January 1, 2026, in a copy posted by the Dutch national federation. WT: Competition Rules and Interpretation
- WT logos. WT's 2022 guidelines on identification. WT: 2022 Guidelines of Identifications
- USA Taekwondo. The equipment and hygiene standards, updated January 2, 2026. USA Taekwondo: Equipment and Hygiene Standards
- High school wrestling. The NFHS wrestling rules changes for 2025 to 2026, of June 2, 2025. NFHS: Wrestling Rules Changes 2025-26
- Ear guards. A state association's answer on the NFHS ear guard rule, in effect since July 1, 2022. Wisconsin's state association: Ear Guards and Manufacturer's Logo
- College wrestling, men. The NCAA men's wrestling rules committee report of April 2025, with the rescissions of May 27, 2025. NCAA: Men's Wrestling Rules Committee report
- College wrestling, women. The NCAA rule book for women's wrestling, 2025 to 2026, updated June 2025. NCAA: Women's Wrestling Rule Book
- USA Wrestling. The rule book, 2027 edition, updated October 31, 2026. USA Wrestling: Rule Book
- Grappling. UWW's grappling uniform rules, posted August 2026. UWW: Grappling Uniform Regulations
- Amateur MMA. UWW's amateur MMA rules, version 2026.05. UWW: International Amateur MMA Rules
- IMMAF. IMMAF's unified rules for amateur competition, as of January 2021, posted November 2025. IMMAF: Unified Rules for Amateur Competition
- ASTM F2397. ASTM International's page for the headgear specification, last updated November 9, 2018. ASTM International: F2397-18
- One US judo event. The event's posted rules.
- Sport karate. One event's rule book, which uses NASKA rules.
- Sizes and shrinkage. Published size charts and care guides from gi and uniform makers.
Sharknits is not affiliated with the IBJJF, AJP, IJF, USA Judo, WKF, USA Karate, NASKA, WT, USA Taekwondo, the NFHS, the NCAA, USA Wrestling, UWW or IMMAF.
Questions buyers ask
What colors can a BJJ gi be at IBJJF events?
White, royal blue or black, with the top, pants and collar in one color.
How long can BJJ gi sleeves be?
Under IBJJF rules since 2024, sleeves end no more than 2 cm from the wrist, and pants no more than 2 cm above the ankle bone.
Do judo gis need the IJF label?
At IJF events, yes. Only makers with a current IJF contract and a certificate from an IJF-approved lab may use it. Some local events do not ask for it.
What do karate events ask for?
WKF events need a WKF Approved white karategi without piping or personal embroidery, and red and blue belts about 5 cm wide.
Which collar goes with which taekwondo rank?
Under USA Taekwondo rules, color belts wear white collars, black belts black collars, and poom ranks black and red.
Are ear guards required in high school wrestling?
Yes. NFHS rules require ear guards designed for wrestling, with one logo on each ear cup and none on the straps or the chin cup.
Can rash guards be any color at IBJJF events?
No. IBJJF rash guards are black, white, or black and white, with at least 10% of the rank color.
Can we wear Sharknits gis at events?
Check your event's rules. No federation approves or labels our uniforms, so the event's own check decides.
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What happens next
- We reply with questions and a quote.
- We make one sample for you to check.
- You approve it, and we make your order.
contact@sharknits.com · +1 647 501 5424
Sharknits is a custom clothing manufacturer for brands in the US, with factories in Lahore and Sialkot and a US corporate office near Chicago.