How to Wash a BJJ Gi Without Shrinking It: Care Guide and Common Mistakes

Wash a BJJ gi in cold water, around 30 degrees Celsius, on a gentle cycle and turned inside out, then hang it to dry away from heat. Heat is what shrinks a cotton gi, so skip hot water and the tumble dryer. Wash promptly after training to kill bacteria, avoid bleach and fabric softener, and a quality gi will keep its fit for years.

How do you wash a BJJ gi without shrinking it?

Wash a BJJ gi without shrinking it by using cold water and air-drying, because heat is the single thing that shrinks cotton. Set the machine to a cold or 30 degree Celsius gentle cycle, turn the gi inside out, use a normal dose of detergent, and skip the dryer entirely. Hang the gi to dry instead. Followed consistently, this routine keeps a gi at its original size through years of training. The same care keeps the fit you chose from our BJJ gi range.

Shrinking is almost always a heat problem, not a washing problem. You can wash a gi after every session without shrinking it, as long as the water stays cool and the gi never sees a hot dryer. Get those two things right and the rest of the routine is about hygiene and longevity rather than size.

Why do BJJ gis shrink?

BJJ gis shrink mainly because heat causes cotton fibres to contract, and most gis are cotton or a cotton-heavy weave. Hot wash water and, far worse, a hot tumble dryer relax and tighten the weave, pulling the jacket and pants in. The heavier the weave, the more noticeable shrinkage can be, and a gi that is not labelled pre-shrunk has the most room to move. Cotton's response to heat is well documented in textile care and shrinkage testing.

Agitation and moisture play smaller roles, but heat is the main driver. This is why a pre-shrunk gi washed cold barely moves, while an un-shrunk gi tumble-dried hot can drop a full size. Knowing the cause makes prevention simple: control the temperature and you control the shrinkage.

What temperature should you wash a BJJ gi at?

Wash a BJJ gi at a cold setting or up to 30 degrees Celsius, which is 86 degrees Fahrenheit, and never hotter. Cold water cleans a gi perfectly well with a normal detergent, removes sweat and bacteria, and protects both the size and the colour. Hot water is unnecessary for cleaning and is one of the two main causes of shrinkage and fading.

If a gi is genuinely soiled or you want extra hygiene, a cold wash with a proper detergent and prompt washing after class does the job. A cold wash protects every gi this way, including the heavier weaves among our BJJ gis. Save warm or hot water only for the rare case where you are deliberately trying to shrink a gi to fit, which is covered further down.

How do you dry a BJJ gi to avoid shrinking?

Dry a BJJ gi by hanging it on a rack or line away from direct heat, never in a tumble dryer. The dryer is the most common cause of a shrunk gi, because its heat does in one cycle what years of cold washing will not. Hang the jacket and the matching gi pants separately so air circulates, and reshape them while damp so they keep their cut.

Air-drying takes longer, so most grapplers own two gis to rotate while one dries. Avoid drying in direct sun for long periods on a coloured gi, since strong sun can fade it, and keep it off radiators. Patience at the drying stage is what protects the fit you washed so carefully.

The most common BJJ gi washing mistakes

Most gi damage comes from a handful of avoidable habits, and nearly all of them involve heat or harsh chemicals. Each mistake below either shrinks the gi, fades it, or breaks down the fabric and patches, and each has a simple fix. Getting these right matters more than any premium detergent.

How do you stop a BJJ gi from smelling?

Stop a gi from smelling by washing it promptly after every session and drying it fully before storage, since bacteria cause the odour. Never leave a sweaty gi balled up in a gym bag, where it stays warm and damp for hours and grows the bacteria responsible for both smell and skin infections. A prompt cold wash and a complete dry solve almost every odour problem.

For a gi that already smells, a pre-soak in cold water with a cup of white vinegar before a normal wash neutralises odour without bleach or softener. Drying fully in fresh air finishes the job. Good gi hygiene is also good mat hygiene, since it limits the spread of ringworm and staph between training partners.

How should you wash a white versus a coloured gi?

Wash white and coloured gis the same cool way, but separate them and treat stains differently. Wash a white gi with other whites to keep it bright, and resist bleach, which yellows cotton over time and weakens the fibres. Wash a coloured gi, especially blue, separately for the first few washes in case of dye transfer, and keep it out of prolonged direct sun to prevent fading. A well-made gi holds its colour and weave through washing better than a cheap one, which is part of choosing a good gi in the first place.

The table below gives a quick reference for both, on top of the cold-wash, hang-dry rule that applies to every gi.

Can you shrink a BJJ gi on purpose to fit?

Yes, you can deliberately shrink a slightly large gi using controlled heat, but it is a one-way change, so do it carefully. A warm wash followed by a short, monitored tumble dry will bring a gi down, and you should check the fit between cycles rather than shrinking it all at once. This works best on a gi that is not pre-shrunk and runs long in the sleeves or legs.

Because shrinking is hard to reverse, start small and stop early, and remember that competition gis must still meet IBJJF sleeve and pant length rules. If sizing is the real issue, choosing the correct size from the start beats shrinking, which is where our BJJ gi size chart and sizing tips help. Shrinking is a fix, not a sizing strategy.

Caring for your Shapes Fightwear gi

Shapes Fightwear gis ship pre-shrunk and stitched to IBJJF standards, so a cold wash and a hang dry keep them at the size you ordered. Treat the jacket and pants the same way, wash promptly after training, and skip the heat, and the gi holds its fit, colour, and pattern through years of rolling. The full routine sits alongside our wider BJJ gi care guide.

The same care extends to the pants, which take the most abuse on the mat. Gi pants washed cold and hang-dried keep pace with the jacket, so a full gi ages evenly rather than one half shrinking ahead of the other.

Final Thoughts

Washing a BJJ gi without shrinking it comes down to one rule: keep it cool. Wash cold or at 30 degrees, turn it inside out, skip bleach and fabric softener, and hang it to dry instead of using the tumble dryer. Wash promptly to beat odour and bacteria, and a quality pre-shrunk gi will hold its fit, colour, and feel for years of training.

If your gi has already lost its fit, the simplest fix is starting fresh with the right size. Browse our BJJ gi collection and pick a pre-shrunk gi that this routine will keep true to size.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will my BJJ gi shrink if I wash it?

Not if you wash it cold and hang it to dry. Heat is what shrinks a cotton gi, so cold or 30 degree water and air-drying keep it the same size. A pre-shrunk gi barely moves with this routine, while an un-shrunk gi tumble-dried hot can lose a full size.

Can I put my BJJ gi in the dryer?

It is best not to. A hot tumble dryer is the most common cause of a shrunk gi, doing in one cycle what years of cold washing will not. Hang the jacket and pants to dry instead. If you must use a dryer, use no heat and remove the gi while still slightly damp.

What temperature should I wash my gi at?

Wash at cold or up to 30 degrees Celsius, which is 86 Fahrenheit, and never hotter. Cold water with a normal detergent cleans a gi perfectly, removing sweat and bacteria while protecting the size and colour. Hot water is unnecessary and is one of the two main causes of shrinkage and fading.

How do I get the smell out of my gi?

Wash it promptly after every session and dry it fully, since bacteria cause the odour. For a gi that already smells, pre-soak it in cold water with a cup of white vinegar before a normal wash, then dry it in fresh air. Never leave a sweaty gi balled up in your bag.

How often should I wash my BJJ gi?

After every training session. Grappling gear collects sweat and bacteria that cause odour and skin infections like ringworm and staph, so same-day washing is both hygienic and good mat etiquette. Most people own two gis to rotate while one air-dries, since hang-drying takes longer than a dryer.