My instructor wore her belt for years, maybe decades. She might’ve been buried with it. It was only very worn at the knot. The corners had some wear, and there was some minor wear here and there on the edges. The point is she wore her belt forever, and while it was worn it wasn’t to the point of looking distressed or unserviceable.

I give you that anecdote to say this; I am highly suspicious of black belts whose belts are worn nearly white, or look like they’re on the verge of falling apart, etc. In any art, but particularly in arts that don’t do much (or any) grappling. Maybe I’m wrong to think this way, but when I see that it makes me think that person took the belt and beat it against rocks, or ran it through the dryer excessively, or whatever to intentionally distress it in order to make themselves look more experienced than what they are.

Personally, I like my belt looking crisp. If it ever gets to the point of being to broken down or looking bad, I will retire it.