Taking your Gi to the Tailor...

Neuro

Neuro

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Serious question:

My Black Vulkan Ultra-Lite is too big, and I've tried shrinking it (washed it hot, dried it hot) etc., and I've run out of hope on this guy. I don't want to sell it, but I don't want to have to keep wearing a gi that's way too big for me, either.

Has anyone here ever taken their gi to a tailor? I'm sure it's unorthodox, but it'd be way cheaper than getting a new gi, plus I'd get to keep this current gi, which has my patches on it, etc.

I thought maybe the cutting and stitching the tailor put on might be too weak to withstand the force of training, but I thought I'd check with people on here first.

I'm pretty sure it's a lost cause, but I thought I'd at least ask first.

Thanks for any feedback!
 
BallerBrawler27 said:
Serious question:

My Black Vulkan Ultra-Lite is too big, and I've tried shrinking it (washed it hot, dried it hot) etc., and I've run out of hope on this guy. I don't want to sell it, but I don't want to have to keep wearing a gi that's way too big for me, either.

Has anyone here ever taken their gi to a tailor? I'm sure it's unorthodox, but it'd be way cheaper than getting a new gi, plus I'd get to keep this current gi, which has my patches on it, etc.

I thought maybe the cutting and stitching the tailor put on might be too weak to withstand the force of training, but I thought I'd check with people on here first.

I'm pretty sure it's a lost cause, but I thought I'd at least ask first.

Thanks for any feedback!
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i wouldn't bother, just sell it for a decent price to someone in your gym and use it to buy another gi. you obviously lose some money, but you're also helping out a fellow grappler at your gym.
 
Ebay. Your average tailor wouldn't know what to do with it.
 
If you take it to a competent tailor it will be as good Or better than new. I have seen a few guys get gis repaired or fitted and they always turn out excellent.
 
tim18t said:
If you take it to a competent tailor it will be as good Or better than new. I have seen a few guys get gis repaired or fitted and they always turn out excellent.
Click to expand...

A lot of tailors have heavy-duty / industrial sewing machines to work on things like leather coats, luggage (etc) so you can often get very good results.
 
Find a tailor who doesn't look at you like you're from another planet when you show him your gi and ask for him to work on it.
 
I think a good tailor would be able to handle it. Ive been thinking about bringing my keiko pants in becaue they are a little baggier on the bottom than i like. I'd just be sure to tell them you need heavy duty thread and stitching.
 
I've brought my old gis to a dry cleaner that does tailoring and they made my A3 fit like an A2 (I lost a ton of weight doing BJJ when i started). Granted, they may charge more than a regular alteration because they are working with a heavier fabric. They usually double/triple stitch the alterations to make sure it holds up. I have had my gis for 2 years after alterations and see no frays whatsoever.
 
Excellent! Your guys' responses are great. I was worried I'd have to just sell it, and buy the smaller size, which seems like more of a waste than just fixing the current one. There's something about just tossing a gi and buying another, rather than perfecting the one you own, that I dislike.


Though giving it to another guy at my gym is a great idea, too. Might do that now with one of my old, too small gis. Good call.

Thanks for your guys' responses-- I'm gonna look up a tailor tonight and take it in tomorrow.
 
If you guys ABSOLUTELY have to get rid of a gi, I hope that you'll consider donating it.

I know that gis are expensive and so, if you can recover some cash, of course go for it! But if you're not going to get much for it anyway, you could donate it to a French charity that is run by Fightsport magazine and that is endorsed by GSP. There's no documentation available in English yet but the charity translates to "A Kimono For Africa". Their goal is collect gis from various martial arts from all over the world to create / supply martial arts programs all over Africa.

If anyone can read French, here's a link that explains a bit about the program:

MMA UNDERGROUND :: Fightsport lance une collecte national de kimono pour l'Afrique

If you're interested but you can't read French, PM me and I'll translate for you.
 
Maybe find a japanese tailor? I guess the vulkan weave is probably pretty easy to work with, since it's thinner than a lot of wool/blazer type materials.
 
I've taken three of my gis to the tailor. I have to buy A3 because I have a wide back and A2s are too tight in the shoulders, but I'm 5'8", so the pants are way to long and big in the waist. I shrink them to fit as much as I can, then take them to the tailor. Not much they can do about the waist, but they can shorten the pants. I just ask them to do a triple stitch. They've shortened them and move patches around and I've never had a problem
 
I've also had to have the sleeves on my A3 Koral top shortened, and they even put the fancy Koral trim back on the inside of the sleeve end
 
great responses in here, thanks a lot guys. I'll be taking my gi to the tailor for sure
 
Ask your instructor or fellow teammates where they get their patches done. I recently had a set done and after I asked, I was reffered to a tailor that I think has the IBJJF rules for patches printed out and on the wall. My new patches look awesome and I would totally take my gi in for tailoring if I needed it.
 
I've had all my gi pants shortened to fit and I've never had a problem finding a tailor to do this type of alteration.
 
I'm going to get a friend of mine to alter my gis. I'm tall but I guess more narrow through the shoulders than most other people who train. (I'm like a3 height but a2 weight.)

I have no qualms about him cutting up my gis tho as he's worked for a couple of major messenger bag companies making messenger bags & now currently works for an international shipping company designing & crafting custom webs/nets & bags for shipping big and/or expensive stuff all around the world.

I'd say start w/one gi, not your favorite, get someone to tailor it, & then train in it for a month or two to see how it holds up before you run out & get them all cut up.
 
I've taken a gi to get the tailor, not too pricey and they did a great job.
 
I've never had a tailor alter a gi before. However, I've had my first gi repaired 3 times at a tailor. If you're worried about it not being strong enough, it hasn't been a problem for me. All the places the gi has been repaired have held up under intense training.
 
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