DIY: How to dye jute ropes for bondage
a full penetration dyeing method for colourful jute ropes
A method to successfully dye jute ropes for bondage
Frequently we get asked: "How can I dye my ropes?" And finally, we have developed a very gentle method to achieve excellent results with 100% colour penetration.
For this method we use Sake, as Alcohol has a lesser detrimental effect on jute fibre than water, and penetrates much better into compressed strands and yarns.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
1. Use cheap Sake in a large pan. Note that Sake boils at ~78°C.
2. Before the Sake boils, add dye and stir crystals to dissolve. Turn the heat down to minimum to simmer and place your ropes into the pan, ensuring they are well covered, and use a lid, as Sake will evaporate at a faster rate than water.
3. Moving the rope every few minutes, simmer for 1 hour. Transfer your ropes to a separate container and drain the Sake dye from the pan.
4. Using fresh Sake, again bring up the heat. Before it boils, add the fixer. Turn the heat down to minimum to simmer and place your ropes into the pan, ensuring they are well covered, and use a lid to reduce evaporation.
5. Moving the rope every few minutes, simmer for 1 hour. Transfer your ropes to a separate container and drain the Sake fixer from the pan.
6. Again, using fresh Sake, bring up the heat. Before it boils, turn the heat down to minimum to simmer and place your ropes into the pan, ensuring they are well covered, and again, use a lid to reduce evaporation.
7. Moving the rope every few minutes, simmer for 1 hour. Transfer your ropes to a separate container and drain the Sake from the pan.
8. Place the ropes back into the pan and flush with hot water until the dye colour has completely gone.
We used Simplicol Textile Dye expert and fixer:
https://www.simplicol.de/en/products/textile-dye-expert.html
Note that natural jute rope is already a golden colour, and more dye to liquid ratios may be required to gain colour strength. Fixer should be used in equal quantities as dye.
Hang to air dry naturally with at least the following tension to bring the rope back to equilibrium:
- ø6mm 980g per metre rope
- ø5.5mm 900g per metre rope
- ø5.0mm 800g per metre rope
Follow the conditioning advice to finish your dyed ropes.
Please note that if the dye is not fully flushed from the rope it may bleed when dry.
