(Basic material of fastening technology)
Anyone who deals with the topic of restraints will sooner or later ask themselves these or similar questions:
I will try to answer these 7 questions to the best of my knowledge and experience!
Jute or hemp ropes are definitely the right choice if you're looking for more than just restraints to tie your partner to the bed! Only twisted, or more precisely, laid ropes are used, as these hardly stretch compared to braided ropes. Both types of rope have a long tradition and are indispensable when discussing bondage or Shibari. Of course, these two natural fibers also have their disadvantages, which I will discuss in more detail later, but their advantages speak for themselves. And it's precisely these advantages that make both jute and hemp rope my clear number one choice! High tensile strength, flexibility, suppleness, and very low stretch characterize both ropes. Furthermore, the knots are very strong and secure, yet can be easily untied!
Now for the downsides of hemp and jute! These are natural fibers that are not weather-resistant and would disintegrate or rot quite quickly if exposed to prolonged moisture. This means we should always store bondage ropes in a dry place! If you do want to wash the ropes (hemp ropes can even be boiled; jute ropes should only be cleaned with a damp cloth or, if necessary, washed briefly at a maximum of 30°C) or if they get wet, you absolutely must dry them under constant tension. Wet ropes shrink, twist, and are therefore unusable without proper drying!
The biggest drawback, however, is probably the problem with pilling or dust. The ropes consist of individual fibers that are twisted into yarn and then braided into a rope. With use, parts of these fibers come loose or break off, resulting in this unsightly pilling. However, if you use and care for your rope regularly, this will soon improve.
Finally, there's the smell, which can be quite strong with both types of rope. Jute ropes can have a strong odor, but hemp ropes can sometimes smell really pungent. I'd even call it stinking. But the emphasis is on "can," as this isn't always the case; it depends on the quality. The smell will lessen and become more pleasant over time! I'll explain this in more detail below.
Now it's time to take a closer look at these two candidates! As you can see, jute and hemp ropes are very similar in terms of their properties and look pretty much the same at first glance. Nevertheless, there are some differences.
Light gray
Neutral to very intense
(A neutral smell is rather rare)
Almost twice as heavy as jute.
Stronger than jute rope, approximately 200 to 240 at 6mm thickness. This is a guideline and varies depending on the processing method from rope maker to rope maker.
Greater load-bearing capacity, less lint, and usually a firmer consistency than jute ropes.
Light brown to golden
(also called golden fiber)
From very pleasant to neutral with good quality products. Sometimes a strong mineral oil odor occurs when batching oil is used in production.
Very light
Slightly less tensile strength than hemp ropes. Approximately 170–220 kilograms. Depending on the manufacturing and processing.
More supple, more responsive and more comfortable when the ropes are properly tied.
These are the classic differences between the two types of rope. However, this isn't always exactly the same; it depends much more on how the ropes are manufactured. The decisive criteria include the raw materials used, how the rope is processed, how tightly the individual strands are twisted, how tightly the rope is laid, and, of course, how the rope is finished later on! For example, I searched for a long time before I found a rope maker that produced ropes exactly the way I wanted them.
Normally, ropes approximately 8 meters long are used. It doesn't matter whether it's 7.80 meters or 8.20 meters, but it should be somewhere around 8 meters! The taller the person being tied, the longer the rope can be! This length has become standard because it's easiest for most people to manage. Since the rope is usually doubled, you have about 4 meters of rope to work with. Of course, other lengths can theoretically be used. The same applies to the diameter. Bondage ropes made of jute and hemp are generally offered in thicknesses of 5 mm, 5.5 mm, and 6 mm, but you can't rely on this exactly, as the specifications often vary slightly from one rope manufacturer to another!
Which diameter you choose is, I think, a matter of personal preference. However, you should consider from the outset what you want to use the ropes for and with whom! Yes, I know, these ropes are used for bondage! I recommend rope thicknesses of 5.5mm and 6mm for beginners, as these have a slightly larger contact area than 5mm ropes and are therefore more comfortable! The same applies to suspension (hanging bondage). Greater load-bearing capacity and contact area are crucial for this choice. The larger and heavier the partner, the more pressure is exerted on their body, and this can quickly become uncomfortable with thinner rope! 5mm ropes are naturally the most suitable for artistic bondage, as they simply look more aesthetically pleasing and allow you to use a bit more rope! It has also become common to offer rope sets with 7 x 8m lengths. This is ideal for beginners. Seven ropes are usually sufficient. However, with suspension bondage, you might find yourself needing one or two more ropes! In my online shop I also offer short ropes with a length of about 3 meters, because you often reach a point where you only need a small piece of rope to complete the bondage, and with an 8m length you have to somehow process a lot of rope.
Now we come to the quality of ropes. Ideally, a rope would shed very little, be super supple, have no odors, knots, or impurities, and have hard fibers woven into it. But it's not as simple as it sounds! Many, I would even say most, of the ropes you can buy at hardware stores, online, or elsewhere are completely unsuitable for bondage. Since these ropes are manufactured for other purposes, little attention is paid to the points mentioned above. The natural odors of the fibers are often masked by chemical and fuel-like smells that can't be removed even after multiple washes. Furthermore, some ropes have many knots because when one strand ends, a new one is tied onto it, and the rope is then wound further. In poor-quality ropes, some fibers are very dark and woody, or small pieces of wood are even incorporated. In addition, many ropes are impregnated and twisted very tightly, which makes them smell strongly and less supple. I have already been confronted with all these negative characteristics and therefore advise everyone against buying or using such ropes for bondage.
Prices vary, as does quality. Jute is generally a bit more expensive than hemp. But it mainly depends on the manufacturer and the raw materials!
And now to the all-important question:
You can't buy the perfect jute or hemp rope. A rope like that is created!
It begins with the selection of the fibers that will become yarn and eventually a rope. If the rope maker focuses on quality and suitability for bondage, the first step is complete! Next comes the finishing process. Here too, if the quality is right and the process is done correctly, the second step is accomplished! But even a well-finished rope is far from perfect; it will shed fibers and feel a bit scratchy at first. The final step is frequent use! Only with time – with sweat, body oils, and proper care – does a rope become the perfect rope!
I think most questions have been answered and everyone can now decide for themselves. Decide which type of rope you prefer! If you want to try finishing your own ropes, Now I know what quality to look for.
And for those of you who would rather buy a ready-made rope for bondage, There are plenty of them in my online shop!
I personally prefer jute ropes because they are lighter and a little more supple! Unfortunately, these shed a lot of fibers compared to hemp ropes.
All ropes that I offer in my online shop have virtually no inherent odor, meaning they only have a minimal smell of the material. Treatment oils have neither lumps nor impurities and are of the best quality!
Have fun with the ropes and enjoy many wonderful hours!
Regards, Andreas
