In powerlifting, an abundance of federations/organizations exist.  It is difficult to keep track of all the different rules and supportive gear and equipment allowed.  If you are not familiar with powerlifting rules at all, the below might not make a whole lot of sense to you.  If so, just skip down to the bottom paragraph.

rnrn

So, here is a very shortened explanation of the major differences between the WPC and other federations.  First, as far as supportive gear, single or double ply poly, denim, or canvas suits, shirts, and briefs are OK.  You can only wear one suit, one shirt, and one pair of briefs, however, and each of those must be one whole piece of gear.  As far as the briefs, those with legs are allowed to be worn under the suit.  On the bench shirts, the velcro back and open back/split neck shirts are OK.  The bench shirt, however, cannot be pulled down so far that it is off the shoulders and making the arm pit crease visible.  Knee wraps up to 2.5 meters are allowed.  On the equipment used in competition, we allow the use the monolift squat rack, as well as specialized barbells for each lift, like the 55 lb/25 kg squat bar and the specialized deadlift bar.  On rules, during the bench press, we use the “Press” signal.  We allow 24 hour weigh-ins before the competition as well.

rnrn

Those are the most common supportive gear, equipment and rules types of concerns that could be different than other federations.  It is highly recommended that you familiarize yourself with the full rule book before entering an APF meet, and pose any questions you have to a certified referee.  One thing to keep in mind is that no supportive gear is required.  The only thing that is required is a one piece suit or singlet.  As far as how the WPC rules compare specifically to other federations, you would have to check with those other federation rule books.