On Tuesday, March 7, 2017 at 6:49:23 PM UTC-5, Brian Christiansen wrote:
On 03/07/2017 12:31 PM, Night Mist wrote:

I would consider the fabric usually used in making a gi to be a bit light for shopping or laundry bags unless it were doubled.

I don't think I have ever had a karate or judo GI that was light weight
material. I have a Judo gi that the pants a quite heavy weight canvas,
and the top is does not appear to be a denim or canvas, but it is a
double-weave of some kind and is fairly heavyweight material.

In another class I was in, the instructor required (it could have been
"recommended," but I am pretty sure it was required) that the uniforms
were at least 12oz, or perhaps even 16oz denim ("premium" uniforms).

A few years ago I was in a Japanese sword class, and I made a hakama for
that class, and I used a farly heavy weight denim for those, much
heavier than any commercial hakama I have ever seen.

I am not sure what the weight of the material of the partially made
pants I have is, or even how to find out, but I am pretty sure I never
would have made a karate uniform out of anything less than medium weight
(= 12oz) denim.

And there is the difference in schools, and possibly locations.
The few schools we had here back in the day would hand out patterns or offer mail order for a gi. If I recall correctly the suggestion for a gi that DH got was firm cotton, heavier than shirt weight, but not so heavy as upholstry, and black. That I recall at all was because my MIL complained that it was really hard to find plain cotton at the time. She finally got some at Woolworths, because they caught on and ordered some plain cotton in black. It was akin to a midweight poplin.
Nowdays we have but one school and they offer everything you need to make a gi, including after class sewing sessions, because they require the students (I imagine exceptions for the littlest ones) to make their own.

When DD3 was starting Kendo in college, I helped her make her keikogi and hakama. we blew for 7 and a half ounce hemp, and threw it into the indigo pot. Saved a mint over buying it, even with the pricey fabric, and with what the rest of her gear cost that was kind of important. I gotta say, hemp wears like iron.

NightMist