A gi patch is an embroidered or woven badge sewn onto a judo or BJJ gi to show a club, team, country or sponsor, inside the areas the rules allow. On a training gi you can wear whatever you and your coach are happy with.
- In BJJ: patches are everywhere; the IBJJF rulebook limits where they may go on a competition gi.
- In judo: a competition judogi carries only the markings the IJF rulebook allows, in set positions and sizes.
- Training gis can carry whatever you and your coach are happy with.
Where can you put patches on a BJJ gi?
The IBJJF Rules Book allows patches only in marked areas. On the jacket they are the chest, the upper sleeves, the lower front of the skirt and the upper and lower back; the collar and the forearms are left clear. On the trousers they are the front of the thighs above the knee, the shin below the knee, the outer side of the leg and the back of the leg, kept 15 cm from the hem, with patches on the back of the leg at most 10 cm wide.
Patches must be cotton and properly sewn on all round; unsewn patches or patches outside the areas are removed by the inspectors. A brand tag of thin fabric, up to 36 cm², is allowed on the lower front of the trousers, and paint is allowed only as a logo inside the patch areas.
What patches are banned in BJJ?
The rulebook bars patches or text with political slogans, with symbols or phrases offensive to gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, culture or religion, and with anything promoting violence, vandalism, sexual acts, drugs, alcohol or tobacco.
Can a judogi have patches?
Very few. At IJF events the IJF Sport and Organisation Rules allow only the national emblem on the left side of the jacket at chest level, the official back number with the athlete's name, the manufacturer's marks and the advertising the rules set out. Judoka keep personal patches for the training gi.
How do you sew a patch on a gi?
- Wash the gi first so it has done its shrinking.
- Place the patch, check it against the allowed areas if the gi is for competition, and pin it on all four sides.
- Use a heavy needle and strong polyester thread; a sewing machine with a denim needle is faster.
- Stitch close to the patch edge all the way round, then go round a second time if the patch is large.
- Iron-on backing is a start, never a finish; it lets go in the wash within a month without stitching.
In judo vs BJJ
A BJJ gi is a canvas; a judogi is a uniform. BJJ players collect patches from tournaments, teams and brands and wear them all at once. Judoka keep the competition gi clean and put the personal patches on the training gi. Both traditions have their own designs: browse our bjj patches for the first and our judo patches for the second.
Sources
- IBJJF Rules Book, IBJJF
- IJF Sport and Organisation Rules, International Judo Federation
Related terms
Gi, Gi jacket, Gi pants, Gi check / uniform rules, Academy (BJJ), Lineage.