Gather Plant Fiber from bushes, then choose a String recipe that matches the workstation you have. The current data uses 3 fiber per String by hand, 2 at a Spinning Wheel, or 10 fiber for a batch of 10 at a Spinning Machine.[1][2]
Collect fiber now or grow a future supply
For an immediate shortage, harvest bushes and check that Plant Fiber is the inventory item you received. The current item data also lists growable sources, including Shrub Seedlings; that is a later supply option rather than a reason to delay the first hand-crafted String.[1][3]
Choose a small crafting target before clearing an area. Returning with enough material for the next item is more useful than carrying a full inventory of fiber while still missing its other ingredients.
Compare the three conversion routes
| Method | Input → output | Base time |
|---|---|---|
| Inventory | 3 Plant Fiber → 1 String | The reference lists no timed workstation process. |
| Spinning Wheel | 2 Plant Fiber → 1 String | 20 seconds per craft. |
| Spinning Machine | 10 Plant Fiber → 10 String | 90 seconds per batch. |
The data allows Paper Reed as an alternative for these recipes. It does not mean every item that consumes fiber accepts reed. Keep the recipe’s exact alternatives in view.[2]
Calculate the remaining fiber and output
Select the station that is already available, then enter your finished-String target, existing String and fiber stock. The machine result rounds up to whole batches and shows spare output rather than pretending it crafts a fractional batch.
For 11 String from zero stock, hand crafting uses 33 fiber, the wheel uses 22, and the machine needs two batches: 20 fiber for 20 String. The machine leaves nine spare; whether that suits you depends on your next recipe, not just the lowest input ratio.
Choose convenience or material savings deliberately
With no workstation, make the small quantity that unblocks your next craft. Once the wheel is available, it saves one fiber for each String compared with hand crafting. Use the machine when a ten-output batch fits your plans; do not wait for an unavailable machine when one hand-crafted String solves the immediate problem.[2]
Sources & verification
- ESO-UI: Plant Fiber ↗ (external site, opens in a new tab) — Bush gathering reference; checked 20 October 2026.
- MaxDPS: String ↗ (external site, opens in a new tab) — Steam build 25988036; three conversion recipes, allowed inputs and workstation times.
- MaxDPS: Plant Fiber ↗ (external site, opens in a new tab) — Same data provider; growable sources. Multiple pages from this site are not independent verification.