Competition
IBJJF Gi Requirements: Is Your Gi Competition-Legal?
Updated
Short answer: an IBJJF-legal gi must be a single solid color — white, royal blue, or black — in cotton or a cotton-like weave that isn't too thick to grip, with the jacket, pants, and collar all the same color, and sleeves and pants that pass the measurement check. Get any one of those wrong and a referee can bench you at weigh-in, no matter how good your jiu-jitsu is.
Rules get tweaked, so always confirm against the current rulebook at ibjjf.com before a tournament. Here's the version that catches people out.
Legal colors (this is what most people get wrong)
- Is a white gi legal? Yes.
- Is a royal blue gi legal? Yes — but it has to be royal blue, not navy or light blue.
- Is a black gi legal? Yes.
That's the whole list: white, royal blue, black. No grey, no two-tone, no camo, no patterns. The jacket and pants must be the same color, and the collar must match the jacket — a white gi with a blue collar is illegal. This is exactly why our loud themed "world" gis are training gis: if you're competing IBJJF, you want a solid colorway.
Fabric and weight
The gi has to be cotton or a cotton-like weave, in good condition, and not so thick or hard that it stops your opponent gripping — that last part is the real rule. There's no official GSM number in the rulebook; the requirement is about weave and thickness. In practice, standard weights (roughly 350–550 GSM) pass fine, and a pearl weave is the safe default. Our gis are 450 GSM pearl weave — comfortably inside the legal zone, light enough to make weight, durable enough to survive the bracket.
The fit rules that fail people at weigh-in
Referees physically measure your gi with a marked tool. The exact checks:
- Jacket reaches your thigh.
- Sleeves come within 2 cm of your wrist with your arm extended straight out — and the sleeve opening is at least 7 cm wide.
- Pants reach within 2 cm of your ankle bone.
- Collar no wider than 5 cm and no thicker than 1.3 cm.
This is the most common reason a gi that's "legal on paper" gets rejected: it's been shrunk past the 2 cm line, or it never fit right to begin with. If you're between sizes or long-limbed, a too-short sleeve is an instant fail — which is why getting the size right (or ordering custom) matters before comp day, not the night before.
Patches and the belt
Patches are allowed only in specific regions of the gi and must be securely sewn — no stick-ons. Your belt has to match your actual rank and be tied properly. Tournaments also run a quick check that the gi is clean and not torn.
The bottom line
For competition, keep it simple: a solid white, royal blue, or black pearl-weave gi, sized so the sleeves and pants pass the measure, in good condition. Save the wild designs for the open mat.
Frequently asked questions
- What colors are IBJJF-legal for a gi?
- Only three: white, royal blue, and black. The gi must be a single solid color — jacket, pants, and collar all matching. Grey, navy, light blue, two-tone, and patterned gis are not allowed.
- Is a black gi IBJJF-legal?
- Yes. Black is one of the three approved colors (with white and royal blue), as long as the whole gi is solid black — including the collar — and it meets the fabric and measurement rules.
- What GSM does an IBJJF gi need to be?
- The rulebook doesn't specify a GSM. The requirement is that the fabric is cotton or cotton-like and not too thick or hard to grip. Standard weights of roughly 350–550 GSM pass fine — our 450 GSM pearl weave sits comfortably in the legal range.
- Why do gis fail the IBJJF check at weigh-in?
- Most often it's the measurements — sleeves or pants too short after shrinking, or a gi that never fit right. Referees measure that the sleeves and pants each come within 2 cm of the wrist and ankle. An illegal color or a non-matching collar will also get a gi rejected.
- Can I have patches on an IBJJF gi?
- Yes, but only in the permitted regions of the gi, and they must be securely sewn on — stick-on patches aren't allowed. When in doubt, check the current rulebook on ibjjf.com before competing.