Enshrouded’s open-world survival loop works so well because of its deep, rewarding crafting system. You start with a rickety workbench and basic stone tools, but as you explore the Springlands and push deeper into the Shroud, you’ll quickly need more advanced stations to keep up with enemy difficulty and base building needs. The loom is one of the most important mid-game stations you can unlock, and a lot of new players get stuck figuring out how to get the loom in Enshrouded since it isn’t available from the start. This guide breaks down every step you need to follow, no vague hints or missed requirements included.
How to Get the Loom in Enshrouded: Core Unlock Requirements
First, it’s important to note that you won’t find the loom recipe in your default crafting menu right away. You have to unlock the blueprint first, then gather specific materials to build the station in your base. I made this mistake on my first playthrough, spent 20 minutes gathering all the materials only to realize I hadn’t completed the prerequisite unlock step, so the blueprint wasn’t showing up at all. You cannot unlock the loom blueprint until you rescue the Weaver NPC from a nearby Ancient Vault, which we’ll cover in the next section.
Once you have the blueprint unlocked, you’ll need the following four materials to build your loom at a level 2 workbench:
- 8x Wooden Planks: Made from 32x Wood at your Sawmill, a station you can unlock within the first two hours of play
- 12x Linen Thread: Crafted from 48x Plant Fiber at your Spinning Wheel, another early to mid-game crafting station
- 6x Iron Bars: Smelted from 24x Iron Ore and 12x Charcoal at your Furnace, so you’ll need to have unlocked iron smelting first
- 3x Wool: Dropped from sheep found in northern Springlands pastures, usually near abandoned farmsteads
You can gather most of these materials on your way back from rescuing the Weaver, which cuts down on extra travel time. Make sure you have a Spinning Wheel unlocked before you start gathering loom materials, because you won’t be able to turn raw plant fiber into linen thread without it. If you haven’t unlocked the Spinning Wheel yet, you can get its blueprint by upgrading your initial workbench to level 2, which only takes a few extra planks and stone.
Where to Find the Weaver NPC to Unlock the Loom Blueprint
The Weaver is trapped in the Ancient Vault: Springlands, located northwest of your starting Flame Altar, near the small lake that sits between the Springlands and the southern edge of the Revelwood biome. If you’re having trouble spotting the vault, look for the tall stone spire peeking out above the tree line, it’s visible from almost any high point in the western Springlands, so you don’t have to wander around lost for ages.
The vault is guarded by level 15 Shroud enemies, including flying wraiths and melee skeletons with iron weapons. I’d recommend coming with at least a full set of leather armor and an iron sword or bow, otherwise you’ll get wiped within the first few rooms. If you’re playing with friends, you can tackle the vault as early as level 12, but solo players should wait until level 14 or 15 to avoid unnecessary frustration.
Clear all enemies inside the vault first before interacting with the Weaver's cage, because if you get attacked mid-interaction, you’ll have to restart the rescue sequence from the beginning. You don’t have to fight the end boss of the vault to rescue her, either, her cage is in the side chamber right after the first set of enemy spawns. I snuck past the rest of the enemies on my first playthrough when I was underleveled, and it saved me almost 20 minutes of extra fighting.
Once you free the Weaver, you’ll need to place her in a vacant, furnished room in your base with a torch and a bed. If you don’t give her a proper place to stay, she won’t offer you the loom blueprint or any of her other exclusive crafting recipes. You’ll get a notification on your screen as soon as the blueprint is added to your menu, so you’ll know when you’re ready to build.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Trying to Build Your First Loom
Even if you follow all the main steps, there are a few small mistakes that can slow you down or waste your resources. I’ve made almost all of these myself, so I can tell you exactly what to skip to get your loom up and running as fast as possible.
The first and most common mistake is using all your plant fiber for bandages before you make the linen thread for the loom. Plant fiber is easy to find, but gathering 48 pieces takes time, and it’s annoying to have to run around picking grass for 15 minutes because you used all your stock on healing items for the vault run. Set aside the 48 fiber you need before you head to the vault, so you can craft the thread as soon as you get back.
Never leave your loom exposed to the Shroud mist, it will degrade over time and you’ll have to repair it constantly, wasting valuable iron bars and planks. Always place it inside a lit, enclosed part of your base, preferably near other crafting stations so you don’t have to run back and forth across your base to use it. It’s also a good idea to place it near the Weaver’s room, because she sells exclusive upgrades for the loom later in the game.
You don’t need to fight the boss at the end of the Springlands vault to rescue the Weaver, as I mentioned earlier, but a lot of players assume they do and waste time grinding for better gear when they don’t need to. The only enemies you need to clear are the ones in the first two rooms of the vault, the rest are completely optional for this unlock.
Another common mistake is forgetting to harvest wool before you head home from the vault. There’s a small sheep pasture right outside the vault entrance, so you can grab the 3 wool you need before you fast travel back to your base. A lot of players skip past sheep when they’re exploring, thinking plant fiber is enough for all cloth goods, but wool is non-negotiable for the loom, and there’s no other way to get it early on besides killing sheep.
Useful Things to Craft With Your Loom Once It’s Built
The loom isn’t just for making pretty tapestries for your base, it’s a critical progression tool that unlocks some of the best gear and quality of life upgrades in the mid-game. The first thing I always craft with my new loom is a full set of linen armor, which is perfect for spellcaster builds. It gives +20% magic damage resistance and +15% mana regen, which makes exploring the Revelwood Shroud zones way easier, since most of the enemies there use magic attacks.
You can also craft cloth banners and tapestries at the loom, which boost the comfort level of your base. Higher comfort levels give you longer rested buffs, which give you extra XP gain for several hours after you log in or wake up from a bed. I have four tapestries in my main base right now, and my rested buff lasts for 3 full hours, which makes grinding for rare materials way more efficient.
The enchanted cloth you craft at the loom is required to upgrade your Flame Altar to level 4, so it’s not just for armor and decorations, it’s critical for expanding your base’s build range and pushing deeper into high-level Shroud zones. You won’t be able to access the Kindlewastes biome at all until you upgrade your Flame Altar to level 4, so the loom is a non-negotiable unlock for late-game progression.
One little-known use for the loom is crafting caravan sails, which you can trade with the Hunter NPC for rare hunting gear and animal taming recipes. Taming animals lets you get a steady supply of wool, milk, and other resources without having to hunt for them, so it’s worth making a few extra sails as soon as you have the materials to spare. You can also craft high-tier bedrolls at the loom that let you respawn even in the Shroud, as long as you place them outside the mist’s active damage zone, which is a game-changer for long exploration runs.
At the end of the day, once you know the steps to follow, how to get the loom in Enshrouded is way less confusing than it seems at first. It only takes an hour or two to rescue the Weaver and gather all the materials, and the benefits you get from the station make that time investment more than worth it. I usually prioritize getting the loom right after I unlock the iron smelter, because the gear and upgrades it unlocks make every other part of the game so much easier. If you have any extra tricks for unlocking the loom faster, feel free to drop them in the comments below for other players to try.