Martial Arts Belt Information

Construction

All Kataaro martial arts belts are hand-made in the USA by skilled craftsmen. We use the best materials available such as 100% cotton strapping core, heavy-weight 7.5 oz. outer material, and super-strong polyester trilobal thread. All belts have sewn ends and matching thread colors. Kataaro belts with a single seam edge will have the seam edge on the "o" side of the Kataaro label by default. A variety of belt widths are available: 1.50 inch (narrow); 1.75 inch (standard rank belts); 2.00 inch (rank belts, black belts, and master belts); 2.50 inch (large black belts and large master belts); 3.00 inch (XL black belts and master belts). The thickness of Kataaro belts varies for each belt style. Rank belts are approximately 3.0mm thick, while "soft" firmness belts are approximately 4.0mm thick, and "stiff" firmness belts are approximately 5.0mm thick. Please note that the "stiff" firmness option means stiff, and will need some breaking in. Also, a larger size may be needed for stiff firmness. Our Grappling Weave belts are approximately 5.0mm thick, but are pliable, similar to our "soft" firmness belts. More information on belt firmness.

KATAARO BELT 7.5 Ounce weight outer fabric Heavy-duty stitching Sewn ends 100% Cotton single and double core Sourced and made in USA	OTHERS' FILL BELT Thin polyester outer material Standard stitching Loose-fill core material Treated with dangerous chemicals Imported	OTHERS' FELT BELT Thin polyester outer material Standard stitching Heat-cut ends with sharp edges Felt and plastic core material Imported

Size

Kataaro belt sizes are in 5 inch increments, from Size 0000 (75 inch) to Size 24 (210 inch). Our tolerance for length variation is up to 2 inches short and up to 3 inches long. A custom length (123 inch, for example) may be requested in the Special Instructions box, but this custom length will also be subject to the standard tolerance. When choosing a size, consider that the wider the belt you choose, the more length is utilized in the knot area. Our Belt Size Calculator can help with making size choices. Also, keep in mind that there are other dimension tolerances for martial arts belts such as belt width, thickness, rank sleeve length, etc., up to approximately 3/16 inch. Compare Kataaro sizing to some other jujitsu and karate belt brands, such as Century Martial Arts, AWMA, and Fuji:

Styles

There are a variety of black belts, master belts and rank belts to represent most martial arts disciplines including karate, taekwondo, judo and jujitsu. If you don't see a style or martial arts belt design that you need, please let us know.

Embroidery

To add embroidery to any martial arts belt, select YES, add embroidery at the embroidery option. Additional embroidery options will appear once text is entered into the text box. Belt construction will begin when the order is placed, but embroidery will not begin until a visual proof is approved. More embroidery info...

Care Instructions

We do not recommend washing your martial arts belt since shrinkage and discoloration may occur. Keep your Kataaro martial arts belt dry and protected from prolonged sun exposure to avoid fading and discoloration. Use a lint roller to clean surface debris from the belt. Washing in hot water and using a dryer will result in considerable shrinkage. To see the maximum shrinkage rates for each belt, please reference the Details tab on the product. Brushed cotton will be more subject to fading and shrinkage than poly/cotton and satin fabrics. Deep colors can be subject to crocking/bleeding when exposed to lighter colors. If you must wash your belt: First, wash separately in warm water on gentle cycle with mild detergent and fabric softener if desired (DO NOT use bleach). Then, immediately after washing, gently stretch the belt back to its original length. Finally, to maintain the belt length, clamp the stretched belt to a rigid object, such as a metal chair back (example), to air-dry. Do not use a laundry dryer if you are trying to control shrinkage. Washing your belt in this way will NOT affect the embroidery.

How To Tie A Karate Belt

Need to know how to tie a karate belt or obi? Here is a method with step-by-step diagram that will eliminate the cross-over on the backside of the belt. This method can be used for for tying a karate belt,taekwondo belt, jiujutsu belt, or most any other martial arts belt.

	Start by holding the label end of the belt across your abdomen, in front of you with your right hand. It should hang a couple of inches longer than the length you want the belt to be when it is tied. Wrap the other end of the belt behind you and around your waist with your left hand.
	Wrap the belt around your waist a second time while maintaining the position of the label end of the belt.
	Tuck the non-label end of the belt under both layers and up. Pull both ends to tighten the knot. The label end of the belt should still be on your left side.
	Fold down the non-label end of the belt.
	Tuck the label end of the belt under the other end and over to your right side.
	Loop the label end of the belt around the other end and through the knot.
	Pull to tighten the knot. If the belts ends are not the same length, untie the knot and adjust the length.

Tying your belt to a display? Click the link for a video showing how to tie a karate belt to a martial arts belt display.