unbleached?
 

Ive seen numerous posts that discourage the use of bleach on dogis. Does that mean that white (bleached) dogis are less durable than those that are purchased unbleached?
Also, has anyone tried to whiten an unbleached one at home? If so how did that work out?
Thanks!

Re: unbleached?
 

Not very well. I have one that was purchused unbleched. I've bleched it and used oxystuff. I haven't tried peroxide, but then again... I don't care anymore.

It has turned a dull, almost a faded, light cream color, but I can live with that.

Dunno about long term effects of blech, but I would just by a bleched dogi instead of the alternative. They look better and you don't stand out or get called a "judo guy" like some will joke.

Re: unbleached?
 

What we talk about when discussing effects of bleach is the long term (repeated) exposure of cotton to chlorine bleach in laundering.
The one time bleaching of the fabric prior to manufacture, while not ecologically very nice for the local watershed from what I'm told, will not significantly alter the cotton other than its color. So your only consideration is aesthetic.
However, using chlorine bleach repeatedly over the life of a gi will weaken the fibers (it is possible to soak thin cotton, like than in underwear, in strong bleach solution until holes develop--I've done this). Best option is a non-chlorine bleach.

Re: unbleached?
 

I like unbleached (wholemeal) dogis'. They are cheaper and I think they feel softer.
After about three months of regular washing and hanging out in the sun they are hardly distinguishable from a bleached dogi.
Of course you have to put up with three months of looking like a cappuccino.

Re: unbleached?
 

Hey,

wel at the moment my Dogi is a kind of pink after a stray red sock incident!

Tiyler Durden

Re: unbleached?
 

Oh dear! Have you tried "color run remover"(Dylon)? That stuff really works. (I once accidentally put a belt in with my gi and it came out pink too)