Belt Embroidery Color

[MatsuShinshii]

I know this is completely off topic, but i could not be bother making a new topic for a single question every time. Anyways, the question that i wanted to ask is i know i'm not a black belt, but you know the embroidery of black belt. Once i went to this website and it said that only shihan's can use the colour amber for their black belt embroidery. So i wanted to ask does that apply in every shotokan school or do you have to ask your instructor for further information? Thanks

I have not actually heard this before. The color of thread is controlled based on your grading? I thought that was what the color of the belt was for.

I know, I quoted you twice for the same post, but they're different ideas...

I also don't understand why in some organizations different ranks wear different color gis, have different color trim on their gis, different patches (especially black belt club, instructor, and master). Doesn't the belt itself pretty much say all that? I'm ok with it for the little kids if it motivates them and all, but adults? Should an adult get an "awesome kicks!" patch? Do school aged children need honor roll patches on their gis? I see them in catalogs, so I know they're out there.

There's a local TKD school that allows students to buy gis (dobaks?) with trim on the lapel and stripes on the pants that matches their belt. That's not just for black belts either. Why? Are they fashion conscious and want their gis to make their belts "pop" or something? It's more likely a way to sell the students more stuff, but still.

I'm a fan of everyone wearing an all white gi (or all black if that's the tradition). School kanji and logos either embroidered or on as patches, and that's pretty much it. No huge logos and school names on the back, no multi-colored gis or "demo team" special gis, etc. I guess I'm old school, being 41 and all

I'm with you on the patches, multi colored gi's and the like.

Our Mudansha wear all white Gi and what ever color Obi they have been grade to. Once they reach Sandan the white Gi top is replaced with a black Gi top. Black belts are black. Embroidery doesn't matter.

We wear one patch. We don't teach kids under 16 so I guess a multitude of feel good patches and multi colored Obi and Gi's are not needed.

I think it comes down to ego really. All of the additional displays of rank and achievements go hand in hand with the multitude of titles and special licenses these days. I have seen special self defense certifications in some credentials on line. ??????????????? I thought that was what we were teaching. You get additional self defense lessons that warrant certification beyond the art of SELF DEFENSE?????????????

Bottom line... EGO! "Look at me strutting like a peacock with all of my special patches, muti-colored gi, special Obi, etc, etc. This shows I am better than you because you don't have these." But what do you expect from a society that gives trophies for losing? Everybody is a winner! Pretty sad.

I like your post. I guess us old stuck in our ways guys are a dying breed.

We wear all white gis. Seido Juku kanji on the left chest part of the gi, and our organization's logo (Nakamura's family crest; plum blossom) on the left sleeve. That's it. Yondan (sensei) and up usually have their title embroidered in significantly smaller kanji under the Seido Juku kanji. When they're promoted to yondan and up, they're given a new gi with their title embroidered on it.

I know a guy who trained at an American Karate school. They wore whatever gi they wanted, and even put whatever patches they wanted on them, so long as the patches were appropriate (didn't say master, weren't Girl Scout patches, etc). Their rationale was who cares what you're wearing, just train hard. I respect that, but I just couldn't ever do it. I saw a group picture of those guys in their gis. It gave me a headache after looking at it for about 10 seconds.

Could not agree more. I usually scratch my head in disbelief when I see some of the "adornments" put onto gi's. I personally love the multitude of additional belt options these days. I can kind of see it when it comes to little kids but when you see some funky belts on adults it really makes you wonder. I especially love the camo belt. Don't get me wrong, I love camouflage. I was in the Marine Corps and I'm an avid hunter so I spend ever fall in camo but I just can't see the reason behind this belt. Did they kill a deer with a flying side kick or fight off a pack of ferocious wild turkeys? Maybe they defeated a band of Ninja.

I miss the days when you had white belts and black belts. I would even return to the days when we added the green and brown belt to the Mudansha grades sort of like Matsubayashi Ryu.

Less is more and it definitely takes the pressure off of America's fast food mentality of earning the next shiny thing. We incorporated quite a few years back a belt to signify your teaching license (Not Renshi). I can leave or take it to be honest.

I also miss the days when a black belt meant something. With all of the different types of black belts, mutli colored black belts, and a hole assortment of other colors a black belt is a dismiss-able belt and means next to nothing anymore.

I guess I am old because I definitely do not get the whole million patches, 50 different belts, multi-colored Gi's, and every title known to man type of thing.

It takes away from the skill and knowledge of the practitioner and places the spot light on the adornments.

I was researching a style of Karate that I had never heard of because someone mentioned it and saw a picture in the google images that caught my eye. It was kids wearing SO MANY patches you could not see their Gi under them.

When did an art meant for combative self defense become a fashion show? When did trophies, patches, or the latest fashion fads trump actual accomplishment? You know... gaining actual knowledge and skill that takes years of blood, sweat and tears. The kind that you look within yourself to find instead of the kind that is advertised on you like a walking talking billboard.

In the end all of the adornments in the world mean nothing when you are on the streets and you actually have to use what you have learned. All the FLASH in the world won't help you then. Just an ego trip IMHO.

[IcemanSK]

It is up to the instructor and/or organization. If (and only if) there is no standard from one's seniors, and the student has a choice, the possibilities of colors are truly endless. Even black thread on black belts CAN BE done. I'm a minimalist with embroidery. On my everyday belt, I simply have my name in Korean on one end and my style in Korean on the other in yellow. My "dress belt" for my organization has a lot of bling (rank stripes and more) in yellow.

At the risk of sending you down a rabbit hole, I'll recommend these two websites.

Eosin Panther makes the best belts on the planet & does embroidery in many colors. eosinpanther.com

Kataaro.com makes a great belt, also. The specialize in very blinged out embroidery with many colors and ideas.

[Jordin Kyokushin karate]

I recently bought a belt which I'm very happy about. You can take an emboidery on the belt with your name! A black belt could take 6 months to get if you would get it. But there are sites out there who sell the same quality belts, even with your name on it, like kaataro, but never heard of it.

I don't know if i can reference you to the website, but i bought it on https://www.kyokushinworldshop.com. the quality was very good in my opinion. but maybe you should give google a little reasearch!

[singularity6]

I recently bought a belt which I'm very happy about. You can take an emboidery on the belt with your name! A black belt could take 6 months to get if you would get it. But there are sites out there who sell the same quality belts, even with your name on it, like kaataro, but never heard of it.

I don't know if i can reference you to the website, but i bought it on https://www.kyokushinworldshop.com. the quality was very good in my opinion. but maybe you should give google a little reasearch!

Hey, welcome to the forum!

[Jordin Kyokushin karate]

I recently bought a belt which I'm very happy about. You can take an emboidery on the belt with your name! A black belt could take 6 months to get if you would get it. But there are sites out there who sell the same quality belts, even with your name on it, like kaataro, but never heard of it.

I don't know if i can reference you to the website, but i bought it on https://www.kyokushinworldshop.com. the quality was very good in my opinion. but maybe you should give google a little reasearch!

Hey, welcome to the forum!

Hey, thanks. Interesting forum!

[singularity6]

I know this is completely off topic, but i could not be bother making a new topic for a single question every time. Anyways, the question that i wanted to ask is i know i'm not a black belt, but you know the embroidery of black belt. Once i went to this website and it said that only shihan's can use the colour amber for their black belt embroidery. So i wanted to ask does that apply in every shotokan school or do you have to ask your instructor for further information? Thanks

I have not actually heard this before. The color of thread is controlled based on your grading? I thought that was what the color of the belt was for.

I know, I quoted you twice for the same post, but they're different ideas...

I also don't understand why in some organizations different ranks wear different color gis, have different color trim on their gis, different patches (especially black belt club, instructor, and master). Doesn't the belt itself pretty much say all that? I'm ok with it for the little kids if it motivates them and all, but adults? Should an adult get an "awesome kicks!" patch? Do school aged children need honor roll patches on their gis? I see them in catalogs, so I know they're out there.

There's a local TKD school that allows students to buy gis (dobaks?) with trim on the lapel and stripes on the pants that matches their belt. That's not just for black belts either. Why? Are they fashion conscious and want their gis to make their belts "pop" or something? It's more likely a way to sell the students more stuff, but still.

I'm a fan of everyone wearing an all white gi (or all black if that's the tradition). School kanji and logos either embroidered or on as patches, and that's pretty much it. No huge logos and school names on the back, no multi-colored gis or "demo team" special gis, etc. I guess I'm old school, being 41 and all

For the most part, our school has a simple logo patch on the upper-left chest portion of our uniform (similar to my avatar, but only red and white - no blue.) The founder of my school is artistically inclined, and designed a nifty logo with a dragon, Korean Hangul, and the name of our school that was intended to be embroidered on the back of jackets and uniforms. My wife bought me the embroidery for Christmas last year, and I had it put on a heavy-weight gi. Aside from that one uniform, I'm fine with a plain theme with, or without our patch.