Belt Washing and Embroidery

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[roblaw]

I was in my dojo's dressing room, and I noticed that the yudanshas' belts have embroidery on them.

This got me thinking about what happened to my belt when I washed it - it shrunk about 5 inches or so. If it were a black belt with embroidery, wouldn't the shrinking ruin the embroidery?

I know that there are a few threads about washing belts, but none of them address this specific issue. Thanks!

[Janet Rosen]

Good question! If I were making the things, I'd insist on either prewashed fabric for the belt or else prewash the belt before applying embroidery. Could you ask one of the folks wearing one, and let us know?

[aikidoc]

Probably won't shrink if you don't throw it in the drier and instead hang it to dry. Mine has not.

[siwilson]

DON´T WASH YOUR BELT!!!! :p

Why wash it? You don´t sweat on it, so it doesn´t need washing!!!! Forget the importance of it holding your energy ... it doesn´t get dirty! Mine has never been washed in 5 years I have had this belt and it is not dirty, smelly, or anything else that is unpleasent.

Just don´t wash it! :)

[aikidoc]

Sorry Si. I'm in Texas where it gets pretty hot. If I don't wash mine once in a while it gets a salt ring. :)

[John Boswell]

If I don't wash mine once in a while it gets a salt ring.

True story! Very icky too, I might add.

And you wonder why I volunteer others to take ukemi instead of me? HUH!

/duck
/hide
/runs away laughing :D

[Johan Nielsen]

There's a story at my dojo about a dude who never washed his gi. It was so full of salt it could stand by itself. Now that's a lot of sweat! Maybe he didn't notice the salt because the gi was white?

About the belt there's a saying that if one washes ones belt you wash away your knowledge. Long time ago there where no colors on the belt. Only a white belt that gradually got darker because of all the dirt. When it was it was so dirty it was almost black a new belt was given - a black one. This may be old stories without relevance today, but they might still be fun to know anyway.

[Kevin Masters]

Ok, not to get involved in the belt washing is bad discussion, again...

I have an embroidered white belt. With the exception of the black fading to brown because of the use of bleach, I haven't noticed any distortion of the embroidery.
I kind of wonder how you lost 5 inches in the wash. I wash in cold water, hang-dry (assuming I wash my belt which I would never do :D).

I work as an embroidery digitizer so I've had a lot of experience with the stuff. It's no more likely to get screwed up as it is if it were on a typical garment.

[bkedelen]

In addition to wondering what would happen if I wash my belt, I wonder what would happen if I urinate on it, or use it to wipe the oil dipstick in my car. Just three more things I will never find out about...

[Qatana]

I do Hand Ejbroidery and I don'tt hink it should be a problem if the belt is already pre-shrunk. I've embroidered a few belts and eventually, if you wash it a lot, it Will start to come undone,so I recommend you hand wash your belt after applying a patch or direct embroidery.

[siwilson]

I kind of wonder how you lost 5 inches......?

Stopped being excited? :D

Don´t wash your belt, there is no need! I know people on the equator that don´t need to wash their belt, so then you don´t, unless of course you are a huge fat mess that can pass sweat hrough a thick gi on to a thick Obi!!!!

[Noel]

Don´t wash your belt, there is no need!


Gee Si, I thought you Brits were a civilized lot. After all, it wouldn't be proper to have a clean dogi and soiled belt whilst one was sipping one's tea, now?

[Chris Li]

Don´t wash your belt, there is no need! I know people on the equator that don´t need to wash their belt, so then you don´t, unless of course you are a huge fat mess that can pass sweat hrough a thick gi on to a thick Obi!!!!

I'm not at all fat, and I don't train on the equator, but I almost always sweat through to the obi through a double weight judo-gi. But I suppose that it depends on how you train :).

Best,

Chris

[siwilson]

Well I train Yoshinkan an to the extreme - as in muscle pain. I have never left my belt smelly though, and that is with 3 weeks intensive training in Malaysia 3 and a half years ago under Master Thamby Rajah and Sensei Joe Thambu! If your belt was giong to get smelly, that was the time!

Maybe you are just a smelly, sweaty mess!!!!!!

:D

[Noel]

Muscle pain doesn't mean you're working hard. Just that you're either exerting yourself for a change or doing something unusual. Besides, a little sweat never hurt. Anyway, when your belt sits in a bag with your sweaty dogi top and pants, it'll pick up some funk.

Do us all a favor and wash the thing.

[maikerus]

Do us all a favor and wash the thing.

Blasphemy! <sigh>

What happened to all the good old traditions? I guess Aikido today isn't like it was. ;)

[mugen]

one of my belts was 30 plus years old, majority was in Japan - very humid and no A/C. I've never washed it. it doesn't smell. But, I had to retire it because it was disintegrated and I gained weight. if you must wash it, how about dry cleaning it as a last resort?
rich

[Bronson]

I just hold mine out the window as I drive home...airs out quite nicely :D

Bronson

[ruthmc]

Why wash it? You don´t sweat on it, so it doesn´t need washing!!!! Forget the importance of it holding your energy ... it doesn´t get dirty! Mine has never been washed in 5 years I have had this belt and it is not dirty, smelly, or anything else that is unpleasent.
Yeeuk!

Either your sweat glands or your nose has packed up! Even if you don't reckon you sweat, other folk do and you may be landing in their puddles from time to time, so yes, your belt does get dirty. Perhaps a lab analysis would convince you?

Ruth

[Bridge]

Thanks people, I am currently trying to eat my lunch when I stumble upon this thread. I am now getting gagging sensations from the accounts of salt rings and crusted up sweat on obis and gis.

I have managed to machine wash (but not dry) belts in the past and pull them back into shape whilst damp.

[Kevin Masters]

Thanks people, I am currently trying to eat my lunch when I stumble upon this thread. I am now getting gagging sensations from the accounts of salt rings and crusted up sweat on obis and gis.


If that's not bad enough, how about "body soil"? Here in the states we have a commercial on teevee scaring everyone into using their washing product because you might be sleeping on body-soil encrusted bedclothes!

Mmm. Body soil...:yuck:
http://www.cloroxlaundry.com/le_why.shtml

[j0nharris]

About the belt there's a saying that if one washes ones belt you wash away your knowledge.

Dear old Dad used to impart knowledge with a belt!
:D

[JayRhone]

Move to Utah. Dry desert, no sweat, lots of green jello though. :crazy: Heheheh. -Jay

[siwilson]

Yeeuk!

Either your sweat glands or your nose has packed up! Even if you don't reckon you sweat, other folk do and you may be landing in their puddles from time to time, so yes, your belt does get dirty. Perhaps a lab analysis would convince you?

Ruth

Ruth

No Yuck! It is fine!

And to others, having gone through the cross training bit where I ran 5 miles a day and then the fad of weight lifting to be over the magic 200 lbs lean, I know what working hard is! If I weat, and I ´don´t easily. it is because I am working my arse off!

I do sweat doing our Kihon Dosa, and then technique there after. O invite you to smell my Obi! I does not smell! My Gi on the other hand needs plenty of washing! One use only!

Noel, you ain´t even close (to quote a film I can´t remeber the name of)! :D

Best wishes,

Si

[Noel]

Noel, you ain´t even close (to quote a film I can´t remeber the name of)! :D

Best wishes,

Si

No kidding, I ain't even close! With a stench like that... Pheeew! I've smelt sweeter skunks. :p

Seriously though, keep your belt white as possible. When some legend (in his own mind) offers to tutor you at a seminar, well, the look on their face when you do an eye-popping nikkyo is absolutely priceless.

Enjoy,
-Noel

[siwilson]

Seriously though, keep your belt white as possible. When some legend (in his own mind) offers to tutor you at a seminar, well, the look on their face when you do an eye-popping nikkyo is absolutely priceless.

It is gradually turning white over the years with wear and tear. Still quite black though! :)

Si

[xuzen]

DON´T WASH YOUR BELT!!!! :p

...<snip>...

Just don´t wash it! :)

I like my belt clean and washed in pretty floral scented detergent so I smell clean and good while I take ukemi.

No no no... just ignore me, that was me no not me, I mean it was me but not me coz' that was me being possessed by an aikifruit sprite. Make sense? :hypno: :hypno: :hypno:

Boon

[Bronson]

that was me being possessed by an aikifruit sprite.

Hey now. There are non-belt washing aikifruits...I'm one :D

Bronson

[Rocky Izumi]

Well I train Yoshinkan an to the extreme - as in muscle pain. I have never left my belt smelly though, and that is with 3 weeks intensive training in Malaysia 3 and a half years ago under Master Thamby Rajah and Sensei Joe Thambu! If your belt was giong to get smelly, that was the time!

Maybe you are just a smelly, sweaty mess!!!!!!

:D

On the other hand, it may just be that you didn't smell yourself and others did. I am not going to say "no insult intended" because this will be insulting to some, but, you white guys do stink to us non-whites, especially when you sweat. :yuck: Yes, I know, we stink to you guys too. :sorry: He he he, especially when I fart. :rolleyes:

Rock :confused:

[Chad Scott]

Whether you wash your belt or not, just be sure to let it dry properly after you practice! I saw a student wearing a moldy white belt the other day. Yuck!