Linen-hemp rope · 6mm single-ply

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.

Two ropes is the practical minimum. That covers single and double column ties, simple leg and chest ties, and most beginner class content.

We recommend starting with four ropes of 7.5m. With two you spend a lot of time untying one thing to tie the next, which is a slow way to learn - four lets a tie stay tied while you practise the next one.

Once you are working on the floor you will probably want around eight, which is enough to combine upper and lower body harnesses freely. A full suspension set is typically twelve lengths or more.

Despite the name, this rope is spun from linen — fibre from the flax plant. "Linen-hemp" is a common trade name for this style of rope because the two fibres are close botanical cousins with a very similar look and feel, and linen rope has historically been sold under both names. What matters in the hand: it has the natural, organic aesthetic of traditional rope, with the strength and water-tolerance flax is known for — soft from day one and needing no treatment at all.

This is the rope's party trick: unlike jute, linen-hemp genuinely tolerates water. Hand wash or use a gentle, cool machine cycle (a laundry bag keeps things tidy), skip softener and bleach, then hang to dry under light tension so the ropes dry straight. Make sure they're fully dry before storing. No re-oiling or conditioning needed afterwards — it comes out ready to tie.

Choose linen-hemp if you want zero maintenance, washability, outdoor use, or a rope that's soft from day one. Choose jute if you want the traditional shibari feel: lighter, faster through the hands, with compact frictions — at the cost of some upkeep. The honest trade-offs with linen-hemp are weight and density: it suits a slower tying style, and knots and frictions come out chunkier than jute's. Plenty of people keep both — jute for the studio, linen-hemp for the beach.

Yes — this is arguably the best rope in our range for outdoor tying. Damp grass, sea air, even a proper soaking won't ruin it the way it would jute; just wash off any grit afterwards (sand and dirt in the fibres act like sandpaper from the inside) and dry it properly before storage.

Linen is a strong natural fibre, and this rope handles load differently from jute — it's denser, with bulkier frictions and a different feel under tension. As always, suspension safety comes down to education, technique, and inspection far more than fibre choice. If you're suspension-trained, inspect it as you would any natural fibre and make your own assessment; if you're not, please learn in person before taking anyone off the ground.