Home → Partner → Century Martial Arts and Polygiene
With 50 years of experience designing, manufacturing, and distributing first-class martial arts equipment and apparel, Century Martial Arts products will be familiar to pros and amateurs around the world. As the company celebrates its 50th anniversary, we take a look at what makes the brand special, how Polygiene technology has enabled it to enhance its products, and what makes the partnership so successful.
Founded in 1976, Century started life as a one-man business operating out of a residential garage, but has grown into one of the most recognisable martial arts brands in the world. A large part of that success is down to the strong connection its people have with the martial disciplines they design for and work in.
Mike Dillard, Century’s founder, won two US Karate National Championship titles during his competitive career, and many of the company’s employees instruct, train, and compete in their spare time. Century has even installed training studios at its Oklahoma HQ so its employees have easy access to lunchtime or after-work classes. A passion for practicing martial arts is embedded in the brand’s DNA.
This passion and firsthand expertise have led the brand to develop several iconic pieces of equipment, including the original freestanding training bag, the Wavemaster®, and the BOB® body opponent bag. In disciplines and sports where personal protection is paramount, Century’s commitment to quality is best demonstrated by the people who use the products. While Century gear is used by individuals at all levels, the brand is incredibly popular at the highest levels of competition.
In 2006, Century became the official producer of the UFC’s branded fight gear, including the gloves worn in the Octagon®. It has teamed up with legendary MMA coaches Greg Jackson and Mike Winkeljohn, collaborated with one of the biggest names in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Ricardo Libório, and worked with TapouT®, Adidas®, and the IMMAF.
Century’s desire to produce the best of the best and meet the needs of practitioners of all abilities also extends to odor control technology. Seeking a solution to one of the biggest pain points in martial arts equipment – the smell that accumulates and lingers – it contacted Polygiene. Delighted with the level of protection our solutions provided, it now incorporates Polygiene® StayFresh and Polygiene® OdorCrunch into a wide range of Century products, including designs in the following lines:
For Century, the benefits of Polygiene odor control technologies are clear. Gear stays fresh, lasts longer, and requires less maintenance between training sessions. In hot, sweaty, close-quarters environments, this is invaluable. It makes for a pleasant training environment and reduces the long-term financial and time costs associated with equipment. More durable products are replaced less frequently, and gym owners and product users spend less of their valuable time cleaning and maintaining their kit.
Century’s Marketing Director, Chad Raunborg, also recognizes the value of Polygiene tech in ensuring the brand’s products stand out in a competitive marketplace. ‘Polygiene technology is extremely important in terms of product differentiation. It enables us to offer premium odor control that competitors simply can’t match.’
Alongside the Polygiene OdorCrunch and StayFresh solutions, Polygiene also assisted Century Martial Arts with incorporating the technology into manufacturing processes, ensuring seamless integration. This has been backed by technical and marketing support, so Century can communicate the benefits of Polygiene odor protection effectively and to as broad an audience as possible.
For Polygiene, Century is the ideal partner. Over 50 years, the brand has been at the forefront of product innovation in the martial arts industry, pushing boundaries and manufacturing products that change the way practitioners train, compete, and engage with their chosen discipline. It is a brand with a remarkable legacy and an unwavering commitment to the future of martial arts.
At Polygiene, we’re proud to have played a part in that story, contributed to Century products, and helped it maintain its reputation as the world’s most forward-thinking and iconic martial arts brand.
