Places to Donate or Recycle an Old BJJ Gi

If you’ve been training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for a while, at some point you’ll need to get rid of an old gi. Maybe you’ve lost weight and it doesn’t fit you anymore. Maybe it’s becoming too worn, or has developed “permastank” and even though you’ve tried various gi washing techniques, you can’t get it clean. Or maybe you have more gi’s than you need and you want to donate the ones you don’t wear very often.

In this article, I’ll share several places to donate a Jiu Jitsu gi, rash guard, or other martial arts gear, as well as what to do with an old gi that’s damaged or too worn out to donate.

1. Give or Sell it to Someone At Your Gym

The first thing I do if I’m getting rid of a gi is to post in my gym’s Facebook group and ask if anyone wants it. If your gym doesn’t have a centralized way to communicate online, you could ask your instructor for permission to hang it at the gym with a price tag or “free” sign on it.

If the gi is still in great condition, usually I’ll allow people to pay me for it through Venmo. If it’s not in great condition, I give it away for free. Some gyms maintain a closet or rack of old gi’s to loan, rent, or give to new students, so that can be another good option.

2. Donate it to an organization that Helps People in Need

Several organizations collect martial arts gi’s and give them to people who want to train but can’t afford to buy a gi. Below are some places that may accept a gi donation.

Gi’s for G.I.’s – This organization provides BJJ gi’s to BJJ students who are veterans, active duty military, or first responders. Accepts clean, used gi’s with no tears or stains. Also accepts other BJJ and MMA gear.
Sisterhood of the Traveling Gi – A project that sponsors women’s BJJ seminars and open mats. They collect clean, used BJJ gi’s and provide them to women who need them.
Hyperfly – Hyperfly accepts donations of any brand of BJJ gi in good condition with no patches, holes, or stains. These gi’s are then given to Jiu Jitsu students in need in Brazil, Africa, or the United States. As a bonus, you get a coupon in exchange that can be redeemed for $20 off a purchase on the Hyperfly website.
International Jiu Jitsu Education Fund – This non-profit trains instructors to become a “Roll Model” and offer free BJJ instruction for kids in communities all over the world. They accept donations of kids’ Jiu Jitsu gi’s, according to this page on their website.
Samurai School – A non-profit in Austin, TX that provides BJJ training to kids and teens through after school programs and summer camps. They accept kids BJJ gi’s and boxing gloves.

3. Where to Recycle an Old, Worn-Out BJJ Gi

Sometimes a Jiu Jitsu gi is too worn out, stained, or smelly to be donated. In this case, it’s best to avoid putting it in the trash where it will end up in a landfill. Here are some ideas of what to do with an old gi:

Compost it. Most Jiu Jitsu gi’s are made of 100% cotton, and cotton clothing can be composted (after you remove any patches, tags, and other non-cotton parts). If you compost at home, you can shred your BJJ gi and then add it to your compost pile, or use the fabric as weed barrier underneath a new garden bed.
Recycle it locally. Call the local thrift stores in your community and ask what they do with any stained or torn clothing they receive. Some just throw it away, but others (including Goodwill) bale it and sell it to textile recycling companies, where it is shredded and used for various purposes such as stuffing furniture.
Send it to Trashie. Trashie is a unique clothing and textile recycling program where you purchase a large bag, fill it with old, worn-out clothing and other fabric, and mail it in. For each bag you send in, you get rewards that can be redeemed as cash (more than you spent on the bag) at hundreds of retailers.