Source and cost for belt embroidery?

[JazzKicker]

Since I'm newly promoted to 4th dan, and I could use a longer belt anyway (no, i didn't get fat), I decided to get a new belt.

The ones I already vary in length, one size 4 is the same as another brand's size 5, etc., so I went to a supply store and picked out the one i wanted. I didn't want to order custom, on-line, without being sure the belt size, thickness, etc. was ok.

Turns out, the store doesn't do embroidery anymore. I went to another recommended place, and they weren't really set up to do Hang Gul lettering, so they quoted me $95 for the job! I thought that was way too much, and now I need to find someplace else to bring it, central NJ.

[sensei8]

To my knowledge a lot of tailors and seamstresses do embroidery. Cost might depend on how detailed and if they can do Hang Gul lettering!!

I hope you can find what you’re looking for!!

 

Edited December 14 by sensei8

[Nidan Melbourne]

On 12/14/2024 at 2:15 PM, sensei8 said:

To my knowledge a lot of tailors and seamstresses do embroidery. Cost might depend on how detailed and if they can do Hang Gul lettering!!

I hope you can find what you’re looking for!!

 

That i true, i'm not sure about you guys but here in Aus a lot of seamstresses/tailors are Korean or Chinese. So it doesn't hurt asking. 

On 12/14/2024 at 1:03 PM, JazzKicker said:

Since I'm newly promoted to 4th dan, and I could use a longer belt anyway (no, i didn't get fat), I decided to get a new belt.

The ones I already vary in length, one size 4 is the same as another brand's size 5, etc., so I went to a supply store and picked out the one i wanted. I didn't want to order custom, on-line, without being sure the belt size, thickness, etc. was ok.

Turns out, the store doesn't do embroidery anymore. I went to another recommended place, and they weren't really set up to do Hang Gul lettering, so they quoted me $95 for the job! I thought that was way too much, and now I need to find someplace else to bring it, central NJ.

Do you have your heart set on having it in Hang Gul?

[KorroddyDude]

There are belt size calculators all over the internet.  Kataaro being a notable example, which assumes the ends hang 12 inches from the knot (you can set the calculator to metric on the site).  So it's not really necessary to get yourself measured person.

[aurik]

Many belt manufacturers will embroider your belt for you.  I had mine done by Kataaro, and I'm very happy with it.  For my extra-long belt with metallic blue embroidery on both tips, it was about $150, but that was over 2 years ago.

[ryanryu]

I had success bringing my belt to a shoe repair shop, but only to embroider on a stripe, not full lettering. The other places I went (tailors and such) could not physically fit the belt into the sewing machine. 

KI International will embroider belts: https://www.kiintl.com/1/home.php

Not sure about Hang Gul, but you may be able to send them the characters to work from.

 

[KorroddyDude]

On 12/16/2024 at 11:19 AM, KorroddyDude said:

There are belt size calculators all over the internet.  Kataaro being a notable example, which assumes the ends hang 12 inches from the knot (you can set the calculator to metric on the site).  So it's not really necessary to get yourself measured person.

I also wanted to add - for most belt manufacturers, kanji characters are 2.5 cm tall on a 4.5 cm wide belt, and 2 cm tall on a 4 cm wide belt.  Most will reduce them to 2 cm on a 4.5 cm wide belt if you go over a certain number of characters.

To determine the proper length of the belt ends, multiply the number of kanji or katakana characters by 2.5.  You'll need 5 to 10 cm of clearance above the kanji to prevent the embroidery from going into the knot.  You'll also need 8 to 10 cm meters of clearance below the characters on the label side, and 4 cm on the non-label side.  So:

Length of label side end = 8 to 10 cm + (number of characters x 2.5 cm) + 5 to 10 cm

Length of non-label side end = 4 cm + (number of characters x 2.5 cm) + 5 to 10 cm

This assumes a 4.5 cm wide belt, so on a 4 cm wide belt, use 2 cm instead of 2.5 cm.

Whichever side is longer, that's how long your ends should be.

The belt size calculator on the Kataaro website assumes the ends below the knot are 30 cm.  So adjust for that if your ends need to be longer.

Kuro Obi Ya has a formula on the site as well, but it doesn't tell you how long the ends are when using that formula, so it's not of much use.

[JazzKicker]

8 hours ago, KorroddyDude said:

I also wanted to add - for most belt manufacturers, kanji characters are 2.5 cm tall on a 4.5 cm wide belt, and 2 cm tall on a 4 cm wide belt.  Most will reduce them to 2 cm on a 4.5 cm wide belt if you go over a certain number of characters.

To determine the proper length of the belt ends, multiply the number of kanji or katakana characters by 2.5.  You'll need 5 to 10 cm of clearance above the kanji to prevent the embroidery from going into the knot.  You'll also need 8 to 10 cm meters of clearance below the characters on the label side, and 4 cm on the non-label side.  So:

Length of label side end = 8 to 10 cm + (number of characters x 2.5 cm) + 5 to 10 cm

Length of non-label side end = 4 cm + (number of characters x 2.5 cm) + 5 to 10 cm

This assumes a 4.5 cm wide belt, so on a 4 cm wide belt, use 2 cm instead of 2.5 cm.

Whichever side is longer, that's how long your ends should be.

The belt size calculator on the Kataaro website assumes the ends below the knot are 30 cm.  So adjust for that if your ends need to be longer.

Kuro Obi Ya has a formula on the site as well, but it doesn't tell you how long the ends are when using that formula, so it's not of much use.

thanks, this is very helpful information. I did see the Kataaro site, but I'd like to go with the belt I just bought- I'm still calling around for a source.