Blue jute rope · 5mm double-ply (treated)

A dangerous question to ask the shop that sells you the rope — so we'll be straight: fewer than you might think if you're just getting started. You can get a single rope if you want to practice the basic knots and frictions, and then add to this gradually as your skills improve.

Once you are ready to move beyond the absolute basics, you'll want between 2 to 4 ropes so that you can practice harnesses and have a bit more fun with tying in general.

A complete rope set would typically be around 12 ropes.

Most people will want to purchase the 7.5 m length for shibari. We make longer lengths available to for those who prefer to cut ropes to a specific length, or sometimes because Naka-style practitioners like a single long rope in their kit.

6mm is the standard most shibari classes and tutorials assume. At 5mm, this rope is slimmer and lighter: frictions and knots come out smaller and neater, and the rope sits with a lower profile against the body. That suits smaller frames, detailed and decorative work, and anyone who finds 6mm bulky in the hand. The trade-off is that thinner rope concentrates pressure over a smaller area, so wraps need a little more care with placement and tension.

Our double-ply ropes are made from strands that are themselves twisted from two plies, giving a denser, more stable construction. In practice this means the rope holds its lay better, is less prone to high-stranding, and shrugs off rougher handling — so it needs less maintenance and fuss than single-ply. Single-ply is softer and suppler from the off, but rewards more careful treatment. If you'd rather tie than tend to your rope, double-ply is the easy-going choice.

For more on this topic, read this.

Every rope in our Anatomie line is hand-finished by us: conditioned and treated so it's supple, tidy, and ready to tie straight out of the packet — no breaking-in, singeing, or oiling needed before first use. You'll only need to re-oil down the line as part of normal jute care (see Care & storage above).

For more on how we treat our ropes check out our rope guides.

Our dyed ropes are colourfast in normal use — you shouldn't see colour transferring to skin or clothing during tying. Like any dyed natural fibre, the colour will mellow gradually over years of use, friction, and sunlight, which most people find only adds character. Avoid getting dyed rope wet against light fabrics, as damp is when any natural-fibre dye is most likely to bleed.

Rope diameter is only one part of suspension safety — education, technique, uplines, and hardware matter far more. Some experienced practitioners do use 5mm jute for suspension, but the thinner diameter means higher pressure per wrap and less margin for error. If you're not already trained in suspension, please don't learn from a product page: come take a class, or start with our in-person suspension courses.