Rope bondage and shibari for beginners: rope types, knots and safety

For your first bondage rope, choose about 10 metres of soft cotton or smooth synthetic rope between 5 and 8 mm thick: it is forgiving on skin, easy to wash and holds simple knots well. Jute and hemp are the traditional shibari fibres and grip beautifully, but they need more care and make more sense once you tie without thinking. Whatever you buy, put a pair of rounded safety scissors next to it before the first tie.

Below you find the best rope per situation, how much rope each tie takes, three starter ties in words and the safety routine for every scene. Most rope here comes from our rope and bondage tape section.

The best bondage rope by situation

• Best first rope: Doc Johnson Japanese Cotton Rope. Soft cotton, close to 10 metres long and 5 mm thick, gentle on skin while you learn.
• Best easy-care rope: Ouch Black Polyester Rope. Ten metres with a smooth, silky surface that cleans with mild soap and warm water.
• Best for learning patterns: Ouch Shibari Rope with Techniques. Ten metres at 8 mm, with six printed explanations of traditional ties in the pack.
• Best natural jute: XR Brands Premium Braided Jute Rope. Braided, so smoother than twisted jute, 6 mm thick, with metal seals against fraying; it softens with use.
• Best silk rope: Ouch Black Silk Rope. Ten metres of very smooth, flexible silk; store it loosely coiled to keep that feel.
• Best for wide wraps: Ouch Thick Bondage Rope. Cotton and silk, 1 cm thick and 10 metres long; the width spreads pressure, so you need fewer wraps.
• Best short length: Ouch Japanese Rope, 5 metres. Nylon, enough to tie wrists together or an ankle to the bed frame, and easy to coil.
• Best in the dark: Ouch Glow in the Dark Rope. Ten metres of 6 mm polypropylene with accents that glow after charging in daylight.
• Best for colour: XR Brands Rainbow Rope. Ten metres of twisted, coreless nylon in neon rainbow colours, with metal-capped ends; washable.
• Gentlest first step: Ouch Silk Bondage Ribbon. Silk, 167 by 6 cm, spreads pressure over a wide band and ties with a simple bow.

Bondage rope compared

Figures are the makers' own; where something is not stated, check the product page.

Rope types: cotton, jute, hemp, synthetic and silk

Cotton is soft, affordable and the easiest fibre to learn on. It holds knots well and washes, but a knot pulled tight under strain can be hard to undo.

Jute is the classic fibre for shibari and kinbaku: light and grippy, so a tie holds with little tension. New jute can feel rough; it softens with use and does not like water.

Hemp is the other traditional natural fibre, heavier and denser than jute and soft once broken in. Like jute, it should not be soaked.

Synthetic rope (polyester, nylon, polypropylene) is smooth, colourful and washable. It slides more, so knots need a good lock, and pulled fast across skin it can cause rope burn.

Silk is luxurious and very smooth, but silk knots slip and can tighten under tension, so keep silk ties simple and loose. A wide silk ribbon is gentler still, and tape needs no knots at all: see our guide to bondage tape and ribbon bondage.

Diameter: most bondage rope is 5 to 8 mm, and around 6 mm is traditional for jute. Thicker rope spreads pressure and feels softer but makes bulky knots.

How much rope for which tie

• 1.5 to 5 metres: one wrist, one ankle or a quick line to a bedpost.
• 5 metres: a double column tie with some rope left to anchor.
• 8 to 10 metres: a simple chest harness, or a tie plus a long line to the bed frame. Ten metres is the most versatile length.

Three starter ties, described in words

Practise every tie on your own leg or a cushion first. You fold the rope in half and tie with the folded end, called the bight.

Single column tie

A loop around one limb that does not tighten when pulled. Lay the bight against the wrist and wrap the doubled rope around it twice, flat and side by side, with room for two fingers. Bring the bight and the long ends together on top, pass the bight under all the wraps, over the long ends and back through the loop you just made, and pull snug. Test it by pulling the long ends firmly: if the wraps get smaller, untie and start again.

Double column tie

The same idea around two limbs: both wrists, both ankles, or calf against thigh. Wrap the doubled rope around both two or three times, flat and with two fingers of room. Take the bight down between the limbs, around the wraps and back up. This cinch locks the wraps so they cannot tighten and no hand slips out. Finish with a knot on top of the cinch. Tie wrists in front at first; behind the back strains the shoulders.

Simple chest harness

Use 8 to 10 metres, with your partner sitting up straight and the arms free. Wrap two turns around the upper chest, above the chest muscles or breasts and below the armpits, and lock them at the spine with a half hitch. A hand's width lower, wrap two turns below the chest and lock them again. Take the rope over one shoulder, down the front, under both bands in the middle of the chest and back over the other shoulder to the spine, where you tie it off. Keep the shoulder lines away from the neck and check that your partner can breathe in deeply.

Safety: before, during and after

• Agree first. Talk about limits, pick a safeword and add a non-verbal signal, such as dropping a ball.
• Scissors within reach. The Ouch Bondage Safety Scissors are 17 cm long, with stainless steel blades and a rounded tip that slides between rope and skin; the Steel by Shots Rounded-Tip Safety Scissors are all stainless steel. Test that they cut your thickest rope.
• Never around the neck. No rope, ribbon or loop on the throat, not even loosely.
• Check hands every few minutes. Look at colour and temperature and ask your partner to wiggle the fingers and squeeze your hand. Tingling, numbness, cold, pale or bluish skin or a weak grip means you release at once.
• No suspension. Lifting a body off the ground takes training, tested hanging points and a second person. Beginners stay on the floor or the bed.
• Stay present. Never leave a tied person alone, keep first scenes to about 20 minutes and play sober. Tied arms cannot break a fall, so keep your partner sitting, kneeling or lying down.

Aftercare and rope care

After untying, rub the wrists and arms, offer water and a blanket and talk about what felt good. Light rope marks are common and fade; numbness or weakness that does not pass is a reason to see a doctor.

Air every rope after use. Hand wash cotton and synthetic rope in lukewarm water with mild soap and hang it to dry without heat. Do not soak jute or hemp, and keep a natural rope that has touched bodily fluids for that one partner. Store rope loosely coiled, dry and out of the sun, and check it for fraying before every scene.

Matching gear and related guides

Rope and a blindfold make a strong combination; add one new thing at a time. Prefer no knots? Cuffs are faster: see the handcuffs and restraints guide and our cuffs and restraints. Starter sets are under bondage kits, and BDSM gear for beginners helps you decide what to buy first.

Frequently asked questions