What is the black and white mixed color belt?

Instead of wearing a solid black belt, I've seen some instructors wear a belt that looks like it was tie-died black and white or a black belt that was washed in bleach and got discolored..





Can anyone explain why this is? Is there a meaning or a tradition to this?|||Your description is unclear. There are several possibilities here. Are you talking about a black belt that is worn? Traditional black belts are made of layers of cloth stitched together. The outside layer is black. The inner layers are white. As the outside layer wear out it slowly exposes the inner white. The wear is usually the worst where the knot is tied, but eventually happens to the whole belt.





Then there are special masters belts that are sometimes used. Some are made of red and white panels end to end. That belt is known as a Hanshi belt. Lesser known is a belt used in some styles that is made from black and red panels sewed end to end.





There are many other variations of the belts mentioned above.|||When someone gets a black belt and wears it for many years, it tends to get worn, frayed, bleached out, and generally pretty ratty looking. That is seen as a sign of experience.





There is an old saying that you spend a few years getting your belt to turn from white to black, then the rest of your life getting to to turn back white again.





That being said, I understand that there are places you can buy "distressed' black belts and that some people intentionally put theirs through the wash a few hundred times to get that look. That's cheating in my book.