how much do cold washed belts shrink

[yargk]

How much do belts shrink in cold washing and warm workout sweats?

I have a Ki international brown belt which I can't remember how it fit new. Recently, I measured it to be 265 cm. However, it's a size 5 and should be 286 cm. It's been cold washed perhaps twice and subjected to warm sweat a couple times a week for a little over a month.

So is it a super shrunk size 5 (shrunk by 21 cm) or a mislabeled size 4 (size 4 should be 266 cm)?

(I just ask because someday I'd like to earn and buy a darker belt and need to know if I should get a longer one to account for shrinkage)

[Ti]

Haven;t had a belt shrink on me yet.

I wash in cold and hang dry indoors out of the sun by a window.

[Sokusen]

I was told that, by traditional standards, you should never wash your belt.

[ninjanurse]

I always tell my students to wash their new belt ONCE-before they wear it. Gets the extra dye out so it does not stain the white uniform when they sweat.

[yargk]

I was told that, by traditional standards, you should never wash your belt.

Tokaido Japan claims this is a western invention. I think I've read the same thing elsewhere too.

" I heard that one should never wash a belt. Is this true?

No. If your belt is dirty then you should put it into a "sweater bag" and wash it in cold water. As with the uniform, hang it out to line dry immediately after washing.

I heard that one should never let a belt touch the ground. Is this true?

This rumor seems to have been created outside of Japan, probably in the USA, where many people claim that their nation's flag should never touch the ground or then must be discarded. Although one should try to keep the belt clean and all articles neat, if a belt touches the ground, it is not considered such a bad thing, per se. Throwing a belt around disrespectfully, however, is definitely looked down upon by traditionalists."

[rogue2257]

I've definitely never washed a belt myself. We actually tell students not to.

Although one should try to keep the belt clean and all articles neat, if a belt touches the ground, it is not considered such a bad thing, per se. Throwing a belt around disrespectfully, however, is definitely looked down upon by traditionalists."

In my school, there has never been an explicit rule stating that the belt should never touch the ground, but its always been looked down upon a bit. Myself, I've always seen the belt as representative of everything that I've accomplished in karate, and I treat it as such. I can't say everyone feels the same way, of course, I'm sure that to some people its just a colored piece of fabric, but I for one feel it ought to be treated with respect.

[yargk]

I agree, to each his/her own. Personally, a belt means much more to me than a colored piece of fabric and so I wouldn't treat it disrespectfully. I just prefer to wash every so often.

I think one should treat their belts with as much respect as their diplomas, whatever that means to the individual.

[bushido_man96]

Basically, instead of being beholden to some philosophical ideals as to what the belt might mean or represent, I just try to think of it as another one of my possessions, and try to treat it as such. I don't try to ruin many of my own things on purpose, but I don't revere a lot of my possessions, either. The belt is the same to me.

[rogue2257]

I think one should treat their belts with as much respect as their diplomas, whatever that means to the individual.

That's sort of the point I was trying to get at, it'll mean different things to different people, but for me its very important.

[sensei8]

Well, I've never thought about the belt being able to shrink. But, why not, after all, it's made out of some type of fabric(s).

That'll be my new excuse...I'm not getting big in the tummy area; my belt shrunk. Go figure!