Shibari rope for sale

Jute is the traditional material. It has almost no stretch, runs smoothly through the hands and has a tooth that keeps knots and frictions in place. For suspension I always use 3ply jute.

Where POSH tends to seize up, jute always releases, however tight the knot was pulled. For me that is the decisive advantage.

When buying jute. Always choose JBO free jute rope. Why is further down this page and in detail on avoiding JBO in jute rope.

In the shop: 6.5mm 3ply jute for suspension and 6mm Koumanawa jute for floor work.

Of all synthetic ropes, POSH, polyester over spun hemp, feels the most natural and gives the least friction heat. In workshops I always use 6mm POSH. After the workshop the ropes go into the washing machine and come out as good as new. That is exactly why it is my choice for group work.

In the shop: 6mm POSH rope.

Hemp is stronger and firmer than jute, and cheaper. It feels a bit stiff at first. Count on about five sessions before the rope sits well in the hand.

Its breaking strength is higher than jute. If you want to do suspension with 6mm rope, hemp is stronger. For suspension I still recommend 6.5mm jute, because a hemp knot that has held weight is harder to undo.

In the shop: 6mm hemp rope.

Climbing rope. Do yourself a favour and do not use it for shibari. Climbing ropes are very stiff, which makes detailed knots difficult. They cause rope burn quickly and feel rough on the skin, which makes ties uncomfortable.

Nylon. Nylon feels softer and smoother than natural fibres, is cheaper than POSH and easy to maintain. That smooth surface gives it little grip, so knots can slide. It stretches slightly, which makes tension harder to control, and it builds friction heat faster. For suspension nylon is less suitable, unless it is designed specifically for bondage and you know its properties well.

Cotton. Cotton stretches under tension, which makes the tension of knots hard to control. Under load, knots can set so tightly that only scissors will free them. Its tensile strength is lower than hemp or synthetic rope, so it is unsuitable for suspension. Cotton also absorbs moisture easily, which can lead to mould.

JBO stands for Jute Batching Oil. That oil is used in the production of industrial jute to make the fibres more supple and easier to spin. For industrial use it works fine.

For skin contact it is a different story. JBO is not meant for that and can contain chemical residues that cause irritation or allergic reactions. Some JBO oils fall under the PAHs, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which can be carcinogenic on long term contact.

So always make sure your jute is JBO free. The premium ropes in my shop are, and the Koumanawa ropes use soya oil. More about this on avoiding JBO in jute rope. If your skin is sensitive, consider hemp as an alternative.

Jute is the most chosen material in shibari for good reasons: strong, little stretch, light, it moulds to the contours of the body, and it is a sustainable natural product. The long history of jute in Japanese rope art gives it an authenticity many practitioners value. Between one jute and another lies a world of difference. Four things decide that.

Where the jute grows

Jute grows best in a consistently warm and dry climate. The largest producers are Bangladesh, India with West Bengal in particular, China, Thailand and Myanmar. Most industrial ropes are made from yarn from India and China, which is fine for industrial use.

Bangladesh is known for the finest jute yarn in the world, and it costs more. The difference is measurable: finer, stronger and more consistent. The premium jute in my shop is made from Bengali yarn from a small mill that produces to specification.

Which yarn

There are two kinds of jute plant: White, Corchorus capsularis, and Tossa, Corchorus olitorius. Tossa gives a stronger, silkier and softer fibre. That is why the premium ropes are made exclusively from Tossa yarn.

Jute yarn is also graded. Lower grades are darker, contain more bast, vary in thickness and are less strong. Higher grades are glossy, light, uniform in thickness and stronger.

Single ply or double ply

A subject many riggers have strong opinions about. Both work.

• Single ply. Less bulk, so more compact knots that come undone more easily. More flexible in the hand, stronger in a straight pull test and more photogenic. More expensive because of the extra handwork, and it thins over the years, until at some point it is only suitable for floor work.
• Double ply. More compact, wears more slowly, extra protection against rope burn and friction, lasts longer and needs less maintenance. Cheaper thanks to the production process, and a little stiffer in the hand. The easiest choice for beginners.

From yarn to rope

Shibari uses almost exclusively 3 strand twisted rope. Braided rope is smoother and therefore less suited to shibari knots.

Traditional Japanese ropes are more loosely twisted: more flexible and quicker to work with, with more maintenance. Western made ropes are more tightly twisted, firmer and longer lasting. I sell 6.5mm premium German rope specifically for suspension.

Watch out in sex shops. Some sell rope with metal end caps. That is dangerous. Rope ends fly around while you tie, and a metal tip hitting an eye is a real risk. Leave those ropes alone.

Only wash when needed. Hemp and jute are naturally antimicrobial. I wash them when they have been in contact with body fluids or sweat. Usually airing is enough. I often hang them on the line in the sun.

Hand wash. If you do want to wash jute, put the loose strands in a bucket of cold water with a little mild detergent. Soak for twenty to thirty minutes and rinse well. Never use hot water, because heat shrinks and weakens the fibres.

Drying under tension. Jute fibres curl and shorten when they get wet. First hang the rope in loose coils until it stops dripping, then stretch it fully and fix both ends to stable points with some tension. Let it dry that way, otherwise you end up with a plump, shortened rope. Hang a weight in the middle if you like, a bottle of water works fine.

Oil and maintenance. As jute ages or is washed often, the fibres can become brittle. I then singe them again and treat them with oil.

Jute often leaves the factory untreated and can carry fluff. Conditioning makes the rope softer, less fluffy and nicer to work with. The ropes I sell in the shop are prepared by hand. If you want to do it yourself, this is how I work:

• Cutting and finishing. I cut the jute to the length I want and finish the ends, preferably with a thistle knot. The common end knots are on shibari end knots.
• Removing fluff. I pull the rope through an iron hook a number of times and let it rub against itself. That makes it supple and brings the fluffy threads to the surface.
• Singeing. I pass every rope slowly through the flame of a gas hob to burn off the protruding hairs.
• Oiling. I moisten a linen cloth with a mix of fifty percent jojoba oil and fifty percent beeswax, and pull the rope through the cloth.
• Into the oven. After that the ropes go into the oven for one minute at 150 degrees. The oil then works its way nicely into the rope.

There is no universally best rope. There is the rope that fits you, your experience and your intention. If you are just starting, 6mm POSH or double ply jute is the easiest beginning. If you are working towards suspension, 6.5mm 3ply jute is the safest.

Have a look at the shop, or first read what shibari is about on shibari and tantra. How I work with rope and safety in practice is on safety and consent, and the classes themselves on learning shibari.