There are endless arguments in the rope community about strength of rope, safety factors, and the suitability of different ropes for critical load-bearing purposes.

The trouble with natural fibre ropes is that they are natural, and therefore there’s a lot of variability compared to synthetics manufactured under carefully controlled conditions. You can test one length of hemp (etc.) as much as you like, but the results won’t tell you much about the next length...

We can say for sure that Convolvulus flax bondage rope has been used for suspensions many times without problems. We are confident that it will continue to perform well provided that common-sense precautions are taken - and that applies equally to hemp and jute ropes. However, in common with most expert opinion, we believe that cotton ropes are not suitable for load-bearing purposes.

If you decide to use any natural fibre rope for the load-bearing lines in a suspension, we advise that:

1. The rope should be reasonably new and should not have been subject to exceptionally heavy load or impact shock.

2. The rope should be closely inspected for signs of wear or rot and replaced if there is any question as to its suitability

3. There should be multiple suspension lines, and each line should consist of four or more strands of rope so as to distribute the load across a large number of strands.

4. Wherever possible ropes should be fastened using high-friction “Wrap and tuck” methods where knots serve mainly to secure loose ends. Friction methods assist greatly in distributing the load, whereas simple knots can concentrate it on vulnerable points.

5. Avoid small-radius bends in the ropes, as these will become weak points.

6. Consider using slightly larger than normal ropes - e.g. if you normally use 6mm rope, use 8mm for your load-bearing lines.

Ignoring any of these precautions means that you are taking what may be an unacceptable level of risk. If you are planning on this kind of thing, it is wise to get “hands-on” advice and assistance from someone who has done enough of it to have acquired expert status.