Report October 2026

fetlife.com was registered in 1998, and its first post 21. April 2001 appeared more like a blog detailing kink with zero mention of rope. When I started monthly market data collation in 2011 rope bondage was still an obscure genre. Wayback Machine, operable for closed websites, and then the now defunct AdultRopeARt yahoo group helped trace slow early rope consumption at a time when increasing spectator consumers were transitioning into participants.

Wider access to the 40 years of evolved Japanese resources from far lesser regulation and 50 Shades of Grey became catalysts to explode a global surge in BDSM, with rope bondage averaging growth of ~13%pa. When I ‘came out’ from the Japanese scene into the West in 2013, the city I reside in, now with a metro population of 1.6 million had a single rope group with around a dozen attendees. 13 years later and it has risen to, at last count 8 or 9 separate groups with hundreds of members. Peer groups have expanded into small cities and towns worldwide.

Our global collation methodology cross–references sources, memberships, interests and procurement trends, together with 3 major questionnaire surveys undertaken 2017-19. Interestingly, the growth curve almost perfectly matches that of the sexual wellness devices market, albeit considerably smaller.

With the incredible take–up of interest in rope bondage, it’s currently estimated there are approximately 350,000 global participants, of which around 200,000 will be rope buyers of all materials, from general polymer ropes from hardware stores to specifically designed and engineered high–end product such as our SHIZEN.

A cottage industry has evolved to meet this demand, taking spools of raw rope, inspecting, cutting, processing and selling where the average first time user buys 3 x 8 meter lengths, and we do our very best to assist this entrepreneurship with slick supply and good, honest technical resources and support based upon real experience, both of supply and production, and actual use.

Further to early reports last month, the outlook for the jute crop still remains very mixed with some areas excellent and others poor. According to the Bangladesh Department of Agricultural Extension, the total jute target of 708,000 hectares expected production of approximately 9 million bales.

Preliminary figures suggest cultivated area far below these targets, and inflating production costs are expected to be a negative cost effect. Farmers expanded cultivation following good profits and high demand during the 2025 season. However, weather conditions during early crop development this year proved challenging in certain districts. A prolonged dry spell following sowing caused moisture stress and affected young jute plant development. Subsequent heavy rainfall further disrupted plant growth during a critical stage, and consequentially, plants in several growing areas remain significantly shorter. Field reports indicate plant heights of approximately 60 to 150cm in affected areas where they should have reached 3 meters.

The Bangladesh Jute Spinners Association estimate approximately 7 million bales of suitable quality raw jute are required, where current availability of appropriate qualities is below 6 million. This imbalance increasingly creates concerns regarding raw material availability and prices.

The effects of the Iran War are now being felt by shipping, and within a month rates have more than doubled – to the USA from approximately $5,000 to over $11,000 per container, while to Europe from $2,500 to $6,000. Lead times have increased by up to 3 weeks. Shipping lines attribute disruption to ongoing tensions in the Middle East and strong demand from China.