All you need to know about ITTF and JTTA approved table tennis equipment

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Competitive table tennis is an exciting and fast-paced sport that requires top-quality blades, rubbers, balls, tables, nets, and more. Athletes who are engaged in the sport thus need to use certified equipment during their games. Failure to do so can result in serious consequences such as the disqualification of the player and even the team.

It can be challenging, even confusing, to find genuine certified equipment which is why we’ve created this guide. By reading this article, you’ll learn everything you need to know to ensure that you have the right equipment.

In this post

We’ll make sure that you have the right equipment by answering the following questions:

What is the difference between the ITTF and the JTTA?
What equipment requires a certification?
What are the main requirements to be ITTF and/or JTTA approved?
How can you recognize a certified product?

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ITTF and JTTA logos

What is the difference between ITTF and JTTA?

ITTF stands for International Table Tennis Federation. Headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, it is the governing body and authority for table tennis worldwide. As such, it regulates and sets the rules for all ITTF official competitions. One of the many things that the ITTF does is set standards for equipment used during ITTF-sanctioned competitions.

ITTF requires that all balls, rubbers, floor, and net assemblies used during official competitions are approved by them.

JTTA stands for Japan Table Tennis Association. It is the governing body for all Japanese official table tennis competitions such as the "All Japan Championships." It regulates and sets the rules for all official domestic table tennis competitions in Japan. While many of the rules and requirements set by JTTA come from ITTF, JTTA has stricter rules for certifying certain equipment such as blades, glues, and uniforms (that we’ll go into greater detail later).

Athletes who are participating in tournaments hosted by either body can only use table tennis equipment that has been approved by the respective organization.

Remember

The ITTF is the international ruling body for table tennis. The JTTA is its equivalent in Japan, regulating all competitions in the country.
If you don't have ITTF-approved equipment, you won’t be able to participate in competitions sanctioned by the ITTF.
Similarly, if you participate in JTTA competitions, you will need JTTA-approved equipment.

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Table tennis equipment

What equipment needs to be ITTF/JTTA-approved and what are their differences?

Table tennis equipment that needs ITTF approval are balls, rubbers, floor, net assemblies, and tables.
To know if certain equipment has been endorsed by ITTF, check for the ITTF-approved seal.
Blades and glue do not require ITTF approval but ITTF still has rules and recommendations for them.

Competitions hosted by JTTA also need blades, glue, and uniforms with their approval.
All JTTA-approved equipment, except for balls, will have the "JTTAA" mark on them which signifies the organization’s endorsement.

Most of the time, ITTF-approved products are also JTTA-approved and vice versa, but there are still exceptions. Make sure that the equipment you purchase has the right seal for the competitions you will attend.

Some brands that sell JTTA-approved blades in Japan will sell the same model without the JTTA seal for the overseas market at a sometimes cheaper price. When this happens, it is possible that the JTTA-approved blades are still of higher quality than the ones without the seal even if they appear to be the same product.

Remember

Depending on where you compete, choose equipment with the "ITTF-approved" and/or "JTTA" marks on them.
Even if most ITTF-approved equipment are JTTA-approved and vice versa, this isn’t always the case so you need to make sure that you get the right equipment for the competition you’ll be participating in.
Some brands sell unmarked blades that look the same as those with JTTA approval, however, these blades could be of inferior quality. To ensure you get the best equipment for a JTTA competition, always get blades with the JTTA seal even if you find another product has the same appearance and branding.

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How do I know if a product is ITTF and/or JTTA-approved or not?

That's an easy one because the logo will be on the product and/or on the packaging! All ITTF-certified equipment has the "ITTF" logo on it. The same goes for JTTA except for its balls which have the "JTTA" marks on the boxes but not on the balls themselves.

Note that ITTF and JTTA logos should be printed, engraved, or appear in a non-removable manner on the products. If you see a removable sticker, don’t buy it.

That’s why it helps to buy from reputable distributors like NISHOHI. Based in Japan, we take pride in providing high-quality products that are produced by small and medium manufacturers. We only sell brand-new, original products. If you’re looking for equipment with ITTF or JTTA certifications, or both, our product pages clearly indicate them.

Remember

Look for the ITTF and JTTAA logos on table tennis products to make sure that they are certified for the right competition.
The logos should be printed, engraved, or made in a similar non-removable way on the products. Products with removable stickers should not be accepted.
JTTA logos need to be on the equipment as well, except for the balls. Unlike ITTF which has its seal of approval on the balls, JTTA only prints its approval on the packaging of table tennis balls.

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What are the ITTF / JTTA requirements for table tennis equipment?

Now that we know how to tell if table tennis equipment has the approval of these two important organizations, let’s take a closer look at what it takes to get their seals of approval.
Before we do, remember that:
- Balls, rubber covers, flooring, net assemblies, and tables must have ITTF or JTTA approval
- In addition to these items, JTTA requires that blades, glue, and uniforms have their approval too.

**TABLE TENNIS BALLS:**

Table Tennis Ball ITTF approved logo

The ball must be spherical with a diameter of 40mm and weigh 2.7g.
The ball can only be made of celluloid or similar plastics material.
Balls must have a matte finish and be colored white or orange.
"ITTF-approved" will be printed on the ball but the JTTA logo will only appear on the packaging. Very often, if a ball is ITTF-approved, it is also JTTA-approved.
NOTE for LARGE BALLS: Large balls will be 44mm in diameter, between 2.2 and 2.4g in weight, and must bear the "JTTA-approved" logo.

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**TABLE TENNIS RUBBERS (BLADE COVERS):**

Table Tennis Rubber ITTF JTTA approved logo

The side for striking the ball should be covered with ordinary pimpled rubber or sandwich rubber. For ordinary pimpled rubber, the pimples should be facing outwards and be no thicker than 2mm (this includes its adhesive). For balls that use sandwich rubber that have pimples facing inwards or outwards, the total thickness, including its adhesive, should be no more than 4mm.
Ordinary pimpled rubber (aka no-sponge, hardbat or orthodox rubber) is a single layer of non-cellular rubber that’s made with natural or synthetic materials. Its pimples should be evenly distributed over its surface at a density of not less than 10 per cm² and not more than 30 per cm².
Sandwich rubber (aka sponge Pips-IN/Pips-OUT or Pimples-IN/Pimples-OUT) is a single layer of cellular rubber (the sponge) covered with a single outer layer of ordinary pimpled rubber (the top sheet). The pimpled rubber should be no thicker than 2.0mm. The total thickness including the sponge, top sheet, and glue should be no more than 4mm.
The covering material shall extend to but not go beyond the limits of the blade. The part that’s nearest the handle and gripped by the fingers may be left uncovered or covered with any material.
Traditionally, the colors of the rubbers were limited to black or red. However, newer table tennis rules state that if one side of the racket is black, the other side can be any bright color as long as it is clearly distinguishable from black and the color of the ball. Because of this rule, we’ve seen blue and pink rubbers being used on one side and black on the other.
Certified rubbers will bear the ITTF-approved and/or JTTAA logos.
Any ordinary pimpled rubber or sandwich rubber covering the racket should be authorized by ITTF and attached to the blade. This is so the ITTF logo, the ITTF number (when present), and the supplier and brand names are clearly visible.
Depending on the brands and models, the ITTF registration number will also be indicated on the rubber.

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**TABLE TENNIS BLADES :**

Table Tennis Blades JTTA logo

Depending on where you live, table tennis blades can either be called blades, paddles, bats, or rackets. Note that rackets usually refer to a blade covered with rubbers.
In Japan, blades need to be JTTA-approved and must carry the JTTA mark. ITTF certification and its seal are unnecessary.
Although blades and glue do not need ITTF approval, ITTF still has rules and recommendations for them.

ITTF guidelines for blades:

The racket may be any size, shape, or weight but the blade must be flat and rigid.
At least 85% of the blade’s thickness must be of natural wood. An adhesive layer within the blade may be reinforced with fibrous material such as carbon fiber, glass fiber, or compressed paper, but it shouldn’t make up more than 7.5% of the blade’s total thickness or 0.35mm, whichever is smaller.
If even part of the JTTAA stamp is scraped from the blades, it can no longer be used for JTTA competitions. Penholder players and other players who may scrape their blades should be careful that they don’t accidentally scrape the engraving.
Depending on the brand and model, a letter or code will be added to the "JTTAA" logo to distinguish the brand of the blade (i.e. N-JTTAA for Nittaku, アームJTTAA for Armstrong, an-JTTAA for Andro, etc.)

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**TABLE TENNIS GLUE :**

In Japan, glues need to be JTTA-approved while ITTF certification and its seal are not required.
There are many types of glue, but you should choose carefully since ITTF prohibits certain types of glue such as VOC glue, speed glue, booster, and tuners.
The only authorized glues are self-adhesive sheets and water-based glues.

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**TABLE TENNIS UNIFORMS :**

Table Tennis Uniforms JTTA logo

According to JTTA’s rules for uniforms during competition, "Competition shirts, shorts (shorts or half pants) or skirts must be approved by JTTA and bear the JTTA mark.
For tournaments hosted by organizations other than the JTTA (such as ITTF), uniform rules are left to the sponsoring organization and there is no need for ITTF approval.
ITTF, on the other hand, doesn't require a certification. However, it still gives guidelines regarding uniforms:
- Uniforms shall consist of a short-sleeved or sleeveless shirt and shorts or skirt, or one-piece sports outfits, socks, and playing shoes. Other garments, such as part or all of a tracksuit shall not be worn during play except with the permission of the referee.
- The main color of a shirt, skirt, or shorts, other than the sleeves and collar of a shirt should be clearly distinguishable from the color of the ball in use.
- Opposing players and pairs shall wear shirts that have sufficiently different colors to enable them to be easily distinguished by spectators.

**TABLE TENNIS NET ASSEMBLY :**

The net assembly shall consist of the net, its suspension, and the supporting posts, including the clamps attaching them to the table.
The net must be suspended by a cord attached at each end to an upright post that’s 15.25cm high. The outside limits of the post should be 15.25cm outside the sideline.
The top of the net and its entire length must be 15.25cm above the playing surface.
The bottom of the net and its entire length should be as close as possible to the playing surface. The ends of the net should be as close as possible to the supporting posts.
NOTE for LARGE BALLS: For large ball play, the net height should be 17.25cm.

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**TABLE TENNIS TABLES :**

Table Tennis Rubber ITTF approved table

The table or playing surface should be 2.74m long and 1.525m wide. It should rest on a horizontal platform that’s 76cm above the floor.
The playing surface should not include the vertical sides of the tabletop.
The playing surface may be of any material and shall yield a uniform bounce of about 23cm when a standard ball is dropped on it from a height of 30cm.
The playing surface should be uniformly dark-colored with a matte finish. It should have a white side line that’s 2cm wide with a 2.74m edge. In addition, it should have a white end line that’s 2cm wide with a 1.525m edge.
The playing surface should be divided into 2 equal courts by a vertical net running parallel to the end lines. The end lines should be continuous over the whole area of each court.
For doubles, each court should be divided into 2 equal half-courts by a white center line that’s 3mm wide and runs parallel with the sidelines. The center line will be regarded as part of each right half-court.

**TABLE TENNIS FLOORS :**

The flooring should not be light-colored, brightly reflecting, or slippery. It should be resilient and may be rigid enough for wheelchair events.
In World, Olympic, and Paralympic title competitions, the flooring should be made of wood. Alternatively, it can be made by a brand or a type of rollable synthetic material that’s authorized by the ITTF.

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CONCLUSION

There are many details that manufacturers have to comply with so that their products can be used in table tennis competitions. To make equipment selection easier, just look for the ITTF or JTTA seals on table tennis products. If you’re in doubt whether certain items have these organizations’ legitimate approval, you can always refer to these lists of specifications or shop from a trusted retailer like NISHOHI.

To learn more about the ITTF, visit ITTF's official website here: https://www.ittf.com/.

You can also download and read the latest rules and regulations of table tennis from the ITTF's handbook here: https://www.ittf.com/handbook/.

If you’re participating in a JTTA competition, pay a visit to JTTA's official website here (Japanese only): https://jtta.or.jp/.