Rope & Safety Kit

At events, we often have rope and safety equipment available to take home on a pay-what-you-want (donation) basis. Contributions help fund workshops and shared equipment.

Outside of events, this page lists the types of rope we recommend and trusted places to buy practice-ready gear.

What to look for

We focus on rope that handles well for shibari and kinbaku.

Rope suitable for shibari broadly falls into two groups:

  • Natural fibre rope
  • Synthetic rope designed to behave like natural fibre

These ropes have reliable friction, minimal stretch, support stable knots, and show wear clearly over time.

We recommend avoiding cheap “bondage rope” sold for decoration or novelty use. It often stretches, slips, or fails unpredictably.

Natural jute or hemp

  • Traditional kinbaku look and feel
  • Light in the hand, with clear feedback
  • Needs regular checking, airing, and care

POSH and other natural-behaving synthetics

  • Durable and low maintenance
  • Washable, suitable for sweaty jams and frequent use
  • Slightly different feel, very forgiving for newer riggers
  • Known working limits, suitable for suspension when used correctly

Natural rope is like a high-end carbon steel knife. It needs care but rewards attention with feel and precision. POSH or Hempex is the stainless steel workhorse. It tolerates rough use and easy cleaning. Both work well; the choice comes down to maintenance and preference.

Starter bundles

For most students, a simple starter kit works best:

  • Three matching 8m lengths for consistent handling
  • A pair of dedicated safety scissors

If you are unsure whether to choose jute, POSH, or a mix, we are happy to talk it through based on how and who you tie with.

Buying tips

  • Natural rope varies in strength; synthetic rope ships with tested load ratings
  • Start with at least three matching lengths
  • Ask whether natural rope is pre-treated or needs breaking in
  • Avoid stretchy cord, decorative rope, or novelty kits

Safety gear

Rope is replaceable. Your partner is not.

Shibari is edge play and always carries risk. Agree on consent, limits, and an emergency plan before you start.

Always keep dedicated safety cutters within arm’s reach. In an emergency, cutting is often safer than untying. If you hesitate, cut the rope.

Bring proper cutters for every scene and keep them in a fixed, known location that everyone involved can reach.

Scissors

Use tools designed to cut rope fast and clean. Household scissors slip, cut poorly, and increase injury risk.

Good options include:

  • Trauma or EMT shears – Affordable, blunt-tipped, and effective
  • Climbing utility shears – Built to cut tough or loaded rope
  • Rope-cutter tools – Circular blade cutters such as the CT Rope Cutter
  • Folding rescue shears – Heavy-duty tools like the Leatherman Raptor or similar

Test your cutters on your own rope. You should cut cleanly in one firm squeeze. If not, replace them.

Check cutters regularly for rust, looseness, or dull blades.

Where to buy

At events

At RopeLabs events, rope and safety equipment are available on a pay-what-you-want (donation) basis.

Typical items include:

  • Ogawa Jute · 6 mm – Hand-treated Japanese jute
  • POSH · 5 mm – Washable synthetic with jute-like handling
  • Basic safety scissors – Trauma-style shears
  • Folding emergency shears – Heavy-duty cutters with holster

We sometimes also have shibari rope spikes:

  • Print spikes – Leave decorative pressure prints
  • Standard spikes – Slide onto rope to create focused pressure

Check individual event pages for current availability, for example 39C3.

Outside of events

We maintain a short list of trusted sellers. Suggestions via GitHub issues or pull requests are welcome.

Our rope space

  • Tsuri Neko – Leuven, Belgium. Practice-ready 8m ropes and safety cutters.

Online retailers

Local rope spaces

Many rope spaces and workshops sell rope and safety equipment. They often know which suppliers suit their teaching style.

Nautical shops can also stock suitable 5–6 mm low-stretch synthetic cord for practice.

Rope treatment

POSH

POSH needs little treatment and softens with use. To speed this up, run it through a carabiner or over smooth metal to warm and flex the fibres.

Jute

Our jute is worked and sealed to reduce fuzz and loose fibres. You can extend its life with gentle care:

  1. Apply a small amount of natural oil such as jojoba or camellia
  2. Optionally add a light wax seal
  3. Let regular use finish the softening

Avoid:

  • Excess water
  • High heat or flames
  • Aggressive breaking-in methods

Most jute uses jute batching oil and may retain a mild smell. Airing and handling reduce this over time.

Many community methods exist. Each trades strength for softness to some degree.