Karate goes green in hunt for sustainability

The World Karate Federation (WKF) announced the launch of its #GreenKarate initiative on Thursday. The initiative aims to propel karate to the forefront of sustainability in sports through the promotion, production and widespread use of sustainable equipment in karate.

The initiative was created based on the recommendations laid out for sustainable sport in the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Olympic Agenda 2020+5. It also supports the WKF’s own efforts to cultivate a “more sustainable world.”

WKF President Antonio Espinós stated, “the WKF is fully committed to positioning Karate as one of the leading disciplines in sustainability within the whole global sports community. As a sport that combines tradition and innovation like no other, Karate is launching the #GreenKarate project to become a champion in global social issues and the protection of the environment.”

#GreenKarate will see the WKF and its partners pledge to produce karate gear fabricated with at least 70 percent recycled materials. The initiative has already garnered support from Adidas.

Adidas was the first company to create a “WKF-Approved Green Label” karate-gi. The company’s “WKF-Primegreen” is made of 100% recycled materials according to the WKF.

The “WKF-Approved Green Label” will be added to certified sustainable karate gear. This includes karate-gis, protection equipment, and tatamis. The federation is confident other brands will join the initiative in the near future.

Outside of the “WKF-Approved Green Label,” the #GreenKarate initiative will look to eliminate or reduce the environmental footprint of karate events through the implementation of various sustainability factors. However, the WKF has yet to reveal any specific measures or policies in this regard.

Karate made its debut on the Olympic sports program at the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics. The sport was dropped from the sports program for the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, and left off the initial sports program for the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympics. Nonetheless, the sport has continued to push for further inclusion at the Olympic Games.