STRING

2 trades involving this item across 2 traders.

Last checked: 11 August 2026
Java Edition: 26.2, 2 of 2 rows found
Bedrock Edition: 1.26.30.5, 2 of 2 matching
Edition differences: none, both editions match

String in villager trading

String is a raw-material trade: villagers pay emeralds for it, which makes it a candidate for an automated emerald farm rather than something you purchase back.

No recipe in Java 26.2 produces it: it drops from cats, cave spiders, spiders and 1 other, and it comes out of cobweb and tripwire.

Villagers that buy String(you give String, get emeralds)

Profession	Level	You Give	You Get	Villager XP	Java 26.2	Bedrock 1.26.30.5
Fisherman	Novice	String		2same in Bedrock	verified	verified
Fletcher	Journeyman	String		20same in Bedrock	verified	verified

All 2 trades on this item were read out of the trade files Minecraft Java 26.2 ships in its own data, checked on 11 August 2026 against the item, both amounts and the use limit. Bedrock 1.26.30.5 is read as well, and where it disagrees the row says how. Which files, and what is not checked.

Your odds of finding String

A villager only shows part of its trade table, so knowing who trades string is not the same as getting it. The friendliest roll here is the fisherman (novice): 50% of them carry it, so it takes about 2 of them on average before one does.

Chance and daily throughput per villager for String
Villager	Tier	Villagers with this offer	Rolls to see it	Most from one villager	After a cure
Fisherman	Novice	50% (2 in 4)same in Bedrock	about 2	32 emeralds a day2 restocks a day	14 stringwas 20, 6 off
Fletcher	Journeyman	100% (2 in 2)same in Bedrock	none, it is always there	32 emeralds a day2 restocks a day	8 stringwas 14, 6 off

The chance is the draw size over the pool size in the game's own trade set file for that tier. The Bedrock line under it is the same sum on Bedrock's own table, which splits a tier into groups and draws out of each one separately, so the two editions often disagree. The day figure is the trade's use limit times the 2 restocks a villager is allowed per in-game day (Villager.allowedToRestock), so it is a ceiling and not an average: it assumes you are there for every restock. The cure column is 125 reputation times the trade's own multiplier, floored, and never takes a cost below one. Counted from the game's own draw sizes. How that check works.

Who trades String, and at what price

To sell String for emeralds, bring it to a Fisherman at the Novice tier (20 units per 1 emerald) and a Fletcher at the Journeyman tier (14 units per 1 emerald).

Is trading String worth it?

The best rate any villager offers is an emerald per 14 string, from the Fletcher, and 1 of the other 4 pays out faster. No villager sells string back, so it is emeralds out and nothing in.

What the Fletcher pays for, best rate first
	Tripwire HookMaster		8
	StringJourneyman		14
	FeatherExpert		24
	FlintApprentice		26
	StickNovice		32

Units you hand over per emerald, so a shorter bar is a better deal. Every other row links to that item.

String against the other 70 ways to earn an emerald

One slot at the Fletcher takes 14 string a trade, 16 trades, 16 emeralds. 8 of the 72 villagers that pay emeralds, emptied out:

8 emerald routes measured against String
A full slot of	To	Emeralds	Worth in String
12 acacia boats	master Fisherman	12	168 string
24 rabbit feet	journeyman Cleric	12	168 string
48 scutes	expert Leatherworker	12	168 string
108 rabbit hides	journeyman Leatherworker	12	168 string
120 sweet berries	master Butcher	12	168 string
256 diorite	journeyman Mason	16	224 string
288 brown wool	novice Shepherd	16	224 string
512 rotten flesh	novice Cleric	16	224 string

16 acacia boats against 512 rotten flesh for the same 16 emeralds, 32 times the carrying, and the shortest wait is the Mason at 10 real minutes of shelf, gathering not counted. String itself pays 14 an emerald, so 42 of the 72 ask less and 28 ask more.

How String trading works

Every string offer here locks after 16 uses, and a villager restocks up to twice per Minecraft day, so one is good for 32 of these trades a day and no more.

The earliest string shows up is the Fisherman's Novice tier, which a villager has the moment it claims the workstation.

How long String takes in real time

224 string empty one slot at the Fletcher, 2400 ticks (Villager.allowedToRestock) at 20 a second (TickRateManager) refill it 2 real minutes later, and the 24000-tick villager day (Timelines) holds 2 of those fills in 20 real minutes.

So one fletcher moves 448 string against 32 emeralds a Minecraft day, 14 string every 37.5 real seconds, 1.6 emeralds a real minute. 64 string fit inside one of those slots, refill untouched.

Tips for trading String

One villager, one restock: the Fletcher pays an emerald per 14 string and that slot runs 16 trades, so 224 string (3.5 stacks) is all one will take before it locks, for 16 emeralds in total.
Where they go back: that Fletcher also sells arrows, 16 for 1 emerald, its cheapest offer.
Also on the Fletcher's list: crossbow, feather, enchanted bow, tripwire hook, enchanted crossbow, tipped arrow.

String trading FAQ

How many string make an emerald?

14 string at the best rate any villager offers, from the Fletcher at the Journeyman tier. That slot runs 16 trades before it locks, so one villager takes 224 of them per restock.

Which villager sells String?

None. String is bought from you rather than sold to you, so trading is a way to turn it into emeralds and not a way to obtain it.

Same trader, other items

The Fisherman works at a barrel and also trades:

The Fletcher works at a fletching table and also trades: