BJJ SHIRT REVIEW
Martial Arts, like any other art, is at its root a platform to express ourselves. You may or may not agree, but the manner in which you dress yourself is also an expression. You express and communicate that you want people to know something about you, or that you don’t want people to know things about you. I say, even if you dress very plainly, you are still expressing yourself.
The majority of my training partners, in one form or fashion, outwardly express their love for jiu-jitsu. I see social media posts, car decals, and clothing that express their love for jiu-jitsu in a manner that speaks to them.
This post is in regards to my first review of bjj gear that doesn’t necessarily facilitate training. I was sent two bjj shirts last fall by Submission FC for review. This review is more than over due. In fact, being brutally honest, I should have completed this a while ago. My apologies Shakib! I spread myself too thin too often. Anyway…
Last year, Submission FC released two cool bjj shirts into the market. There are several companies out there capitalizing on the ever growing bjj market, so what did Submission FC have to offer to differentiate itself? The answer was practical, new, and retro all at the same time.
They brought in two new shirts that are composed primarily of hemp (practical & among the first companies to bring hemp shirts to the bjj market) with retro graphical designs. I have a little place in my heart for retro designs, I have to admit. Also, this is my first foray into the hemp shirt experience (mostly due to the cost of hemp shirts).
Why does it matter that the bjj shirt is made out of hemp?
‘CUZ STONE COLD SAID SO. Also:
- Shirts made from hemp require few pesticides.
- Shirts made from hemp require NO herbicides.
- The hemp textile is a carbon NEGATIVE raw material.
- Hemp is also a good alternative textile to cotton because it is ~8-10 times stronger.
- If you need more information regarding the superiority of hemp as textile, check this out.
Why is it practical to own a hemp shirt for jiu-jitsu purposes?
Hemp textiles are believed to be bacteria and germ resistant. So, in theory, if you use this to train it might help you stay ringworm/staph free. It’s also a better environmental choice than cotton, so you can totally super impress people by your more sensitive side proving that there is a yin to your yang. Then, you can educate them about why it is a superior textile thereby further impressing them with your dope knowledge skills.
Design Choices Made in the Submission FC Hemp shirts:
These retro designs remind me a lot of graphic design trends in the mid 80’s. It looks a lot like many movie posters made in that era as well as logos for different companies. With these designs either you like them or not. Like I stated before, I do have a bias towards retro designs for subjective reasons of my own. Off topic: the lion shirt really reminds me of the movie Wildcats. I don’t know why other than the whole 80’s thing. *Shrug* I’ve seen too many football movies.
Are these cool bjj shirts comfortable?
The hemp felt a little scrapier (I know it’s not a word, shut up) than cotton before the first wash,but I have washed this shirt many times now. As a result the shirt feels much softer. I guess there was a benefit of taking an eternity to finishing this review, score!
How do the hemp shirts fit?
The sizes run about what I would expect, to be honest. I’m a 5’8″ ~140 lb light feather weight and got a small. It fits me just fine. I am incredibly handsome in it, obviously. It should be noted hemp is known for its shrinkage, giggidy, but Submission FC was proactive so their shirts are pre-shrunk. I have not noticed any shrinkage to be honest. If there has been, it’s negligible.
Should I purchase these shirts?
That’s your call buddy. I liked the shirts. They are different enough from what you typically see, and as I have noted in previous reviews, I like that. It is important to point out that the going rate is $39.95 per shirt. If you can swing that type of skrilla, knock yourself out. The hemp textile is just more expensive to work with, so naturally it must be priced higher to achieve a profit.
They have also released a Gi made partly from bamboo fabric. Check out their “Bamboo Frenzy” as well as an informative blog post about the benefits of a bamboo gi.
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