A gi is the one piece of equipment you wear at every single session, get graded in, and are judged on the moment you step into line. It is also the one most people size incorrectly, for a reason nobody mentions in the shop: cotton shrinks.

Buy it long, because it will not stay long

A new gi that fits perfectly is a gi that will be too short within a month. Cotton shrinks with washing — most of it in the first few washes, and more if you wash hot.

Buy with room. A jacket sleeve that sits a little past where you want it, and trousers a little long, will settle into the right place. Buy one that fits on day one and you will be replacing it by the next grading.

Where it should sit once settled

Most dojos want the jacket sleeve to finish partway down the forearm — not at the wrist, not at the elbow. The trouser should clear the ankle: long enough to look correct standing in line, short enough that you are not standing on your own hem when you move.

If your club has a written rule on cut or fabric weight, that rule beats any general advice. Tell us what it says and we will match it rather than guess.

Kids grow faster than cotton shrinks

For a child, allow more room than feels sensible. A gi bought to fit exactly will be outgrown and shrunk out of at the same time. Roll the sleeves for a few months rather than buying twice in a year.

The belt is separate, and that is deliberate

Belts are sold on their own, not with the uniform. That means a grading costs you a belt, not a whole new gi — which is the sensible way round, given how often a student grades compared to how often a uniform actually wears out.

Looking after it

Wash cool and hang to dry. Heat is what drives shrinkage, and a gi that has been through a hot machine and a dryer will have moved more in one wash than in six months of normal use. Cool washing also keeps a white gi white for longer.

Sparring gear is a separate question

Most Mauritian clubs ask for mitts, shin and foot guards and a mouth guard before they will let you spar, but the exact requirement differs by federation. Ask your sensei what your club needs before buying anything — it is a short conversation that saves buying the wrong thing twice.

See the karate gi range, or the full karate range for belts, mitts and guards. We are at 34 Remy Ollier Street, Port Louis — message us on WhatsApp with a height and we will advise.