In the martial arts world, an athlete dons a BJJ kimono much like a warrior of old donned a suit of armor. And a point of fact is that both sets of gear have much in common. Ancient warriors were supported by entire industries devoted to the research, development and manufacture of armor. No less can be said for modern athletes participating in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

Early Japanese people, of both genders, wore two piece clothing consisting of short pants and a jacket like top. Eventually, through time and a few innovations, the modern judogi was derived from this early simple clothing. Today's sophisticated, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu gi is a modern adaptation of earlier martial arts uniforms.

The word Keiko is interpreted as practice while gi simply means clothing. Today, the Japanese word gi is used extensively outside Japan to simply refer to a martial arts uniform of any kind. However, in Japan it's used most appropriately as a suffix, that is to say, a partner with a preceding word. So, a judo-gi is a uniform for judo and in karate, a karate-gi. Bjj-gi is a characteristic uniform which serves the specific needs of a practitioner of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. It consists of a jacket, a pair of draw-string pants and a belt. In BJJ the jacket and pants have a closer fit than in other forms of martial arts to limit the opponent's ability to manipulate the fabric.

The modern martial arts uniform has evolved and undergone many changes. Reinforced underarms and rubberized collars are modern introductions. In addition, seams are reinforced, some pants have reinforcements below the knees, and the seamless back while more comfortable also adds to durability.

The gi is made from cotton cloth. It's available in four distinctive grades. These are known as single weave, double weave, gold weave and platinum weave. However, these weaves are not standardized. The cotton is woven into a sturdy, pre-shrunk, rip-stop fabric. The term "gold weave" is not actually a weaver's sett but a description used referring to the appearance and feel of the fabric.

Single weave fabric is often recommended for beginning students. It's an economic choice, light weight and is easily cared for. Once it becomes clear the student is ready to make a solid commitment to the sport and takes on additional practice sessions, an investment in the heavier weight double weave may well be in order. Double weave fabric makes for a heavier, sturdier garment.

Serious competitors and instructors often choose to invest in the gold weave standard. While being a somewhat lighter weight fabric than the double weave, its longer cotton fibers lend it a luster and softness that is unsurpassed by the baser fabric of the other two weights. Furthermore, given the superior fabric, these gi also are usually of superior workmanship. Yet these garments while more comfortable and pleasing offer comparable durability to double-weave. They also tend to be more expensive. Platinum weave is a lighter weight version of this grade and is intended for summer wear.

International competition rules allow competitors to wear a bjj kimono which is black, blue or white. It must be a matching set and be tied with a rank appropriate colored belt. However, additional colors can be found, especially red. These usually represent club colors and may be used for demonstrations and in-house competitions.