How to Get Straw in Skyrim (& What It’s For)

In The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, players will want to find straw, a common building material often used to create bedding. In addition to bedding, straw can be used to craft archery targets, apiaries, trophies, and training dummies. One of the easiest ways to find this useful material is to purchase it from general goods merchants under their Miscellaneous tab. Because goods are generated randomly for the general stores, not all the stores will always have straw.

Players will want to collect ample straw to craft bedding to ensure a restful sleep, and it can be used to craft both decorative and useful items. Notably, training dummies and archery targets can be used decoratively or for the Dragonborn to practice. Of note, shooting targets will not increase the player’s archery skill in Skyrim. One of the most useful craft recipes using straw is an apiary, which players can craft to breed bees that produce honeycomb at the homestead of Lakeview Manor. Honeycomb is a useful ingredient used to brew potions at an Alchemy Lab.

In addition to the general stores, straw can occasionally be found while exploring in common household containers, such as dressers, cupboards, chests, and barrels. Additionally, if players have Lydia the Nord housecarl, a follower gained after completing the Dragon Rising quest, players can ask her where to find straw.

Skyrim: General Store Locations With Straw

One of the best places to find and purchase straw is from the merchant in the major city of Falkreath, which is located near the borders of Skyrim‘s Hammerfell location and Cyrodill. Within the city, the general trader Solaf runs the store Gray Pine Goods. The store itself is located in the center of Falkreath, near Lod’s house and across from Dead Man’s Drink. The Gray Pine Goods is identifiable by its front balcony. Players will know they have reached the right place because Solaf lives with his brother, Bolund, in the store’s upper quarters. This shop is open every day, and players should be able to easily find straw there.

Another large city in Skyrim, Solitude, contains the Bits and Pieces store, which often carries straw. Solitude is found in Haafingar on the Northwestern shore, and Bits and Pieces is opposite from Angeline’s Aromatics in Solitude. Sayma, an NPC in Skyrim, runs the store, which sells alchemy ingredients, food, clothing, and weapons in addition to straw.

While in Riverwood, a small village to the south of Whiterun, players can purchase straw at the Riverwood Trader. The Riverwood Trader is identifiable by its piles of firewood, barrels of food, and a cart stuffed with cabbage sitting out front. Siblings Camilla and Lucan Valerius run the Riverwood Trader, and the first time players enter the store they will be given the Golden Claw and challenged to obtain the stolen claw from Bleak Falls Barrow.

Within Whiterun, a major city found Northwest of the Throat of the World, players can find straw at Belethor’s General Goods. The store is located in the market area of the Plains District of Whiterun in Skyrim, specifically near Arcadia’s Cauldron and across from the Bannered Mare. Players will also spot the shop assistant, Sigurd, chopping wood out front.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition is available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC.

About The Author