How to Shrink a BJJ Gi (Step-by-Step Guide)

Got a BJJ gi that’s too big? Maybe you lost weight, ordered the wrong size, or your gi stretched out after months of training. The good news: you can shrink most gis at home using heat. The bad news: you can also ruin your gi if you go too aggressive. Here’s exactly how to do it right.

How to shrink a BJJ gi (step by step)

The core principle is simple: heat shrinks cotton. The hotter the water and the higher the dryer heat, the more your gi shrinks. Here’s the process:

1. Hot wash (60-90°C / 140-194°F): Wash your gi on a hot cycle. A 60°C (140°F) wash gives moderate shrinkage. A 90°C (194°F) wash gives maximum shrinkage but is harsher on the fabric. Wash the gi alone or with other gis only.
2. High heat dryer (45-60 minutes): After washing, put your gi in the dryer on the highest heat setting for a full cycle. This is where most of the shrinkage happens. If you want less shrinkage, use medium heat or pull the gi out after 20-30 minutes.
3. Steam iron for targeted areas: If the jacket shrank enough but the sleeves are still long, use a steam iron on just the sleeves. You need a steam iron with a water reservoir for this (a dry iron won’t work). Focus heat on the specific areas you want to shrink.
4. Check the fit and repeat if needed: Try on the gi after it cools down completely (wet fabric feels tighter than it is). If you need more shrinkage, repeat the hot wash + dryer cycle. Expect diminishing returns after the second cycle.

Pro tip: Before shrinking, check if you actually have the right size. Our BJJ gi size guide covers measurements for 13+ brands and helps you figure out if shrinking is the right move or if you should exchange.

How to slightly shrink a gi

If you only need to take off half an inch to an inch, use less heat and shorter exposure:

• Warm wash only (40°C / 104°F): Skip the dryer entirely. A single warm wash with hang drying typically shrinks a gi about 0.5-1 inch in the sleeves and pants.
• Short dryer cycle: Wash on your normal temperature, then put the gi in the dryer on medium heat for just 10-15 minutes. Pull it out and hang dry the rest of the way.
• Targeted steam ironing: If only the sleeves or pant legs need to come up, steam iron just those sections. This avoids shrinking the torso when it already fits well.

The key is that you can always shrink more, but you can’t unshrink. Start gentle and work up.

How to shrink a gi without a dryer

No dryer? You can still shrink your gi, it just takes more effort:

• Boiling water soak: Fill a bathtub or large bucket with the hottest water from your tap (or boil water and add it). Submerge the gi for 20-30 minutes, agitating it occasionally. This alone can shrink a gi 1-2 inches.
• Multiple hot washes: Run it through 2-3 consecutive hot wash cycles (60°C+) without drying in between. Each cycle adds incremental shrinkage.
• Steam iron after washing: After a hot wash, go over the entire gi with a steam iron while it’s still slightly damp. The combination of residual heat from washing plus the iron’s steam gives solid results.

Without a dryer, you’ll get about 60-70% of the shrinkage compared to the full hot wash + dryer method.

How much do BJJ gis shrink?

Shrinkage depends on the fabric, weave, and whether the gi is pre-shrunk. Here are realistic expectations:

• Standard cotton gi (not pre-shrunk): 2-3 inches in sleeve length, 1-2 inches in jacket length, 1-2 inches in pant length after a hot wash + full dryer cycle.
• Pre-shrunk gi: 0.5-1 inch maximum. Most of the shrinkage was already done at the factory.
• Pearl weave: Moderate shrinkage (1-2 inches). This is the most common weave and handles heat reasonably well.
• Gold weave / single weave: Higher shrinkage potential (2-3 inches) but also more risk of damage from excessive heat.
• Ripstop pants: Minimal shrinkage (0.5 inch at most). Ripstop is a synthetic blend designed to resist both tearing and shrinking.

Different BJJ gi brands use different fabric compositions, so shrinkage rates vary. Brands like Tatami and Fuji use standard cotton that shrinks predictably. Premium brands like Origin and Shoyoroll often use tighter weaves and pre-shrunk fabrics that resist shrinkage more.

How many times can you shrink a gi?

Realistically, you get 2 effective shrink cycles out of a gi. Here’s what to expect:

• First cycle: Maximum shrinkage. This is where 70-80% of total possible shrinkage happens.
• Second cycle: Moderate additional shrinkage. Maybe another 0.5-1 inch.
• Third cycle and beyond: Minimal shrinkage with increasing fabric damage. The cotton fibers are already compressed, and repeated high heat weakens the weave.

After 2-3 heat cycles, if the gi still doesn’t fit, it’s time to sell it and buy the right size. Check our guide on gis for tall and skinny grapplers if standard sizing doesn’t work for your body type.

What if my gi won’t shrink?

Some gis resist shrinking. Here’s why and what to do:

• It’s pre-shrunk: Many modern gis are pre-shrunk at the factory. You might get 0.5 inch out of them at best. Check the product listing or tag for “pre-shrunk” or “sanforized.”
• It’s a synthetic blend: Gis with polyester or ripstop blended into the jacket fabric won’t shrink much. Lightweight gis often fall into this category since they use synthetic fibers to reduce weight.
• You haven’t used enough heat: A 40°C wash with hang drying barely shrinks anything. You need at least 60°C + a dryer cycle for noticeable results on a standard cotton gi.
• It’s genuinely too big: If you need more than 3 inches of shrinkage, no amount of heat will fix the fit. Sell it, give it to a training partner, or donate it to your gym’s loaner pile.

IBJJF gi fit rules (why size matters)

If you compete under IBJJF rules, your gi has to meet specific fit requirements. Referees check this before your match, and an illegal gi means you can’t compete. The key rules:

• Sleeves: Must reach no more than 5 cm (2 inches) above the wrist bone when arms are extended straight forward.
• Pants: Must reach no more than 5 cm (2 inches) above the ankle bone.
• Jacket opening: Must be tight enough that you can’t grab more than a fistful of fabric at chest level.

This is exactly why knowing how to shrink your gi matters. A gi that’s too long is just annoying, but a gi that’s too short after shrinking can get you disqualified. Always try the gi on after each shrink cycle before going again.

Do preshrunk gis still shrink?

Yes, but minimally. Pre-shrunk gis have already been through a heat treatment at the factory that compresses the cotton fibers. Under normal washing conditions (cold/warm wash, hang dry), a pre-shrunk gi stays very close to its original size. If you deliberately use hot water + a dryer, you can still squeeze out about 0.5-1 inch of shrinkage. That’s enough to fine-tune the fit but not enough to drop a full size.

Do gi pants shrink?

Gi pants shrink less than jackets because most modern gi pants use ripstop fabric (a synthetic-blend material with a crosshatch reinforcement pattern). Ripstop resists both tearing and shrinking. Expect 0.5 inch of shrinkage at most from ripstop pants, even with hot water and a dryer. Cotton drill pants (less common now) shrink more like the jacket – 1-2 inches with heat.

If your gi pants are too long but the jacket fits well, hemming is usually a better option than trying to shrink the whole gi.

Can you shrink a gi belt?

No. BJJ belts are made from tightly woven, multi-layered cotton that doesn’t respond to heat the same way gi fabric does. Even a full hot wash + dryer cycle won’t noticeably shorten a belt. If your belt is too long, the standard solution is to wrap it an extra time or buy a shorter belt.

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