FAQ
IBJJF checks your gi before you weigh in. It must be cotton pearl weave in solid white, royal blue or black, with sleeves within 2 cm of the wrist and pants within 2 cm of the ankle bone. Patches go only in set zones. No-gi has its own rash guard and shorts rules. Source: IBJJF Rule Book v6.1 (June 2024), Article 8. Last verified 2026-10-21.
Gi colors and fabric
One solid color from a short list, in a fabric your opponent can grip.
- Allowed colors: white, royal blue or black.
- Jacket, pants and collar must be the same color. No mixed-color sets and no contrast collars.
- Cotton or cotton-like fabric that is not so thick or stiff that it is hard to grip.
- Woven (pearl weave) fabric is required. The Rule Book names juvenile, adult and masters; the newer IBJJF uniform page says all age divisions.
- A collar with EVA foam inside is fine if it passes the size checks.
- At adult black belt, the organizer can ask you to bring one white and one royal blue gi so the two athletes look different.
- Painted gis are banned, except for academy or sponsor logos in patch zones. If the paint marks your opponent’s gi, you must change.
- No tears, repairs, wet or dirty gis, and no bad smell.
Fit checks at uniform inspection
The inspector measures the gi with a tool. You get three tries to pass, then you weigh in.
| Check | Rule |
|---|---|
| Jacket length | Reaches your thighs |
| Sleeve length | Within 2 cm of the wrist, arm straight out in front |
| Sleeve width | 7 cm slack measurement along the whole sleeve (Rule 8.1.11) |
| Sleeve cuff reinforcement | 2.5 cm |
| Pant length | No more than 2 cm above the ankle bone |
| Pant leg width | 7 cm on the measuring tool |
| Collar | At most 1.3 cm thick and 5 cm wide |
| Belt width | 4 to 5 cm |
| Belt ends | 20 to 30 cm each, after a double knot |
| Inspections | Three attempts to pass |
Belt rules
The belt is checked with the gi.
- Your rank color, with a black bar. Black belts use a white or red bar.
- Worn over the jacket, wrapped twice around the waist and tied with a double knot tight enough to keep the jacket closed.
- The inspector also checks the belt’s condition.
Where patches can go
Patches must be cotton and stitched all the way around. The inspector removes any loose patch or one outside the zones.
- No patches or text about politics, or that are offensive about gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, culture or religion.
- No patches or text that promote violence, vandalism, sex, drugs, alcohol or tobacco.
| Part of the gi | Allowed | Not allowed |
|---|---|---|
| Jacket front | Chest panels on both sides; lower front below the belt line | Lapel and collar |
| Jacket sleeves | Outer upper arm and shoulder | Forearm and cuff |
| Jacket back | Large upper-back panel; lower-back panel below the belt line | Collar, sides and sleeves |
| Pants front | Thigh above the knee; shin below the knee | The knee itself; within 15 cm of the hem |
| Pants side | Strips down the outside of the leg | Within 15 cm of the hem |
| Pants back | Below the waistband; strips down the back of each leg, at most 10 cm wide | Within 15 cm of the hem |
| Brand tag | One thin fabric tag of up to 36 cm² on the lower front of the pants | Embroidered tags |
What you can wear under the gi
Men and women have different rules here.
- Men: no shirt and no pants of any kind under the gi.
- Women: a tight elastic shirt under the jacket is required, short or long sleeved, in any color. A one-piece swimsuit or gymnastics top is also allowed.
- Women may wear tight elastic pants under the gi pants if they are shorter than the gi pants.
- Everyone must wear brief-type underwear, gi or no-gi. Thongs are not allowed. Competing without underwear is a severe foul and means disqualification.
No-gi uniform rules
IBJJF no-gi has a uniform too, and it is checked like a gi.
- Rash guard for everyone: skin tight, long enough to reach the shorts, in black, white or black and white with at least 10% of your belt color. A shirt fully in your belt color is also allowed. Black belts may have a small red area.
- Men: board shorts in black, white, black and white or your belt color. At least halfway down the thigh (no more than 15 cm above the knee) and no longer than the knee.
- Men may wear compression shorts under the board shorts, in the same colors.
- Women: shorts, compression shorts or spats in the same colors, with the same length rule for shorts.
- No pockets unless stitched shut, no buttons, zippers, exposed drawstrings, or hard plastic or metal.
- Grabbing your own or your opponent’s clothing in no-gi is a serious foul.
Other gear rules
Anything hard, or anything that makes you harder to grip, is out.
- No shoes, headgear, hairpins, jewelry, cups or hard protectors. Sports eye protectors are also banned.
- Knee and elbow braces are allowed only if they do not make you harder to grip.
- Women may wear an elastic head cover with no hard parts, strings or logos, in black, white, black and white or their belt color.
- Short nails, long hair tied back, and no hair dye or makeup that stains your opponent’s gi.
- Creams, oils or anything that makes you or your gi slippery, or grippier, is a severe foul.
- After you weigh in you cannot change gis before your first match. A new gi later must pass inspection again.
Key Takeaways
- Gi colors: white, royal blue or black, all one color including the collar.
- Sleeves within 2 cm of the wrist, pants within 2 cm of the ankle bone, collar at most 1.3 cm thick and 5 cm wide.
- Patches: cotton, fully stitched, only in the allowed zones. Never on the lapel, forearms or knees.
- Men wear nothing under the gi but briefs. Women must wear a tight shirt under the jacket.
- No-gi: black, white or belt-color rash guard with at least 10% belt color, and knee-length board shorts.
Further Study
IBJJF uniform rules
Official gi, belt and no-gi uniform rules with the patch diagram.
IBJJF Books and Videos (Rule Book v6.1, June 2024)
Article 8 covers gis, uniforms, patches and hygiene.
IBJJF weight classes: gi and no-gi chart
You weigh in wearing the gi, so check your limit.
All IBJJF rules on Open BJJ
Divisions, scoring, uniform and illegal moves in one hub.
