SARU Apparel

Saru comes from your primal senses, to wrestle and roll, to be agile and quick, to grip with the strength of your ancient forbearers. Those from whom we evolved long ago, and with whom we still share much of our DNA. The ones whose grip is as strong as we dream to have. The Saru. The Monkey.

Saru Fight Apparel logo with a stylized gorilla face and Japanese characters on a black background.

Bringing style to life

What’s the best way to bring this style to life and see the apparel in action? By creating a brand film that tells Saru’s story in a dynamic, visual way. It’s not about specific design choices or strict brand guidelines, it’s about capturing a feeling. A raw, organic way of storytelling that builds a brand people want to roll in. A look and vibe they’re proud to wear on the mat.

And honestly? It’s just insanely fun to bring this kind of style to life through animation. There are no limits to what you can do, and that’s exactly why we went H.A.M. on this brand animation.

A colorful pin design featuring a human face with a dinosaur, similar to Godzilla, on the shoulder, presented in four versions with different colored backgrounds: gray, black, blue, and red.
Repeating pattern of a cartoon baby's head with angry expression, outlined in black on a red background.
Black and white cartoon-style drawing of a monkey's face with a surprised or confused expression.

Iconography

The core icon of Saru is inspired by the Japanese symbol for “monkey” alongside a custom illustration of a monkey that serves as the central figure in our brand story. This design blends traditional Japanese tattoo aesthetics with modern illustrative styles. We merge these influences throughout our clothing line, using the monkey in various scenarios, often related to grappling and movement.

Our goal is to build a recognizable brand mark that can be applied across different formats, from rash guards and t-shirts to stickers and patches. Everything is designed to contribute to a cohesive visual identity that reflects the spirit of Saru and the direction we’re taking with the brand.

A grid of six squares with three Chinese characters at the top and corresponding facial illustrations at the bottom. The first column has white Chinese characters with black backgrounds and a lion-like face below in white. The second column has black Chinese characters on red backgrounds with a lion face in black below. The third column has white Chinese characters on blue backgrounds with a lion face in white below.

SARU

猿

SARU 猿

A collage of torn posters and flyers with a cartoon sticker of an elderly man with a dragon on his shoulder in the center.
Graphic graphic depicting a person gripping a small monkey, with the text 'Grip like a chimp, roll like a monkey' and a red circle background with the Saru Apparel logo at the bottom.
Close-up of a male model wearing a black rash guard with Japanese characters and a cartoon tiger logo on the chest, alongside black shorts with similar tiger graphics and the text 'SARU Fight Apparel'.

Roll like a monkey

In the shadows of ancient forests and temple stones, the saru — monkey — was never just an animal. In Japanese folklore, it’s a symbol of agility, cleverness, and raw, instinctive power. It moves with intention. It adapts. It survives. And above all — it grips and never lets go.

From the words of the one who inspired so many to practice the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Joe Rogan: “What if a monkey could learn jiu-jitsu?” At Saru, we embody that spirit and aim to infuse it into your BJJ game — to return to our roots, to reject our domesticated selves, and to roll like a monkey.

A black and white illustration of a monstrous creature with a human body, a lion's head, and a face on its stomach, holding a distressed monkey head in one hand, with the text 'REJECT HUMANITY RETURN TO MONKEY' and the Saru Apparel logo.

SARU

猿のように動け