Cloth farming remains one of the most consistent and accessible gold-making methods in World of Warcraft. Unlike gathering professions that rely on node spawns or market volatility, cloth drops from humanoid mobs in predictable quantities across every expansion. From the frozen wastes of Northrend to the dragon-haunted isles of the Dragon Isles, knowing which zones yield the highest cloth-per-hour can mean the difference between a steady trickle of gold and a flood of raw materials for tailoring, first aid, or the auction house.

This guide covers the most profitable cloth farming zones from Wrath of the Lich King through Dragonflight, with specific drop rates, recommended level ranges, and estimated gold-per-hour figures based on current auction house prices. Whether you are a new player looking to fund your first mount or a veteran seeking to optimize your farming routes, these zones offer reliable returns. For a broader overview of gold-making strategies, see our complete guide to making gold legitimately in World of Warcraft.

Why Cloth Farming Matters

Cloth is the lifeblood of tailoring, one of the most popular professions for both casters and healers. Every piece of crafted gear, bag, or cosmetic item requires bolts of cloth, which in turn require raw cloth from farming. Even if you are not a tailor, cloth sells consistently on the auction house because demand never stops. Bags alone, from the humble 6-slot Linen Bag to the 32-slot Imbued Silkweave Bag, require thousands of pieces of cloth each, and players leveling tailoring burn through cloth by the stack.

Beyond tailoring, cloth is used for bandages (first aid), as a reagent for certain enchantments, and as a vendor-sold item after being converted into bolts. Some expansions also have cloth turn-in quests that reward reputation or gold. The key is knowing which zones offer the highest density of humanoid mobs that drop the cloth type you need, and how to maximize your farming efficiency with the right route and level range.

Classic Cloth Farming Zones

While Classic zones are rarely the most profitable for max-level characters, they remain relevant for transmog hunters, low-level twinks, and players leveling tailoring from scratch. The two primary cloth types from Classic are Linen Cloth and Wool Cloth, followed by Silk, Mageweave, and Runecloth.

Linen Cloth, Elwynn Forest and Tirisfal Glades

Linen Cloth drops from humanoids level 5-15. The best zones are Elwynn Forest (Alliance) and Tirisfal Glades (Horde). In Elwynn Forest, the Defias mobs around the Jasperlode Mine and the Fargodeep Mine are densely packed and respawn quickly. In Tirisfal Glades, the Scarlet Monastary area (outside the instance) and the Agamand Mills have large groups of humanoids. Expect 40-60 Linen Cloth per hour at level 15-20, selling for roughly 1-2 gold per stack on most realms.

Wool Cloth, Westfall and Hillsbrad Foothills

Wool Cloth drops from humanoids level 15-25. Westfall is the classic Alliance zone, with the Defias Pillagers around the Deadmines entrance and the fields near the Sentinel Hill. For Horde, Hillsbrad Foothills offers the Durnholde Keep area and the Southshore humanoids. Drop rate is roughly 30-40% per kill, yielding 50-70 Wool Cloth per hour. Stacks sell for 3-5 gold.

Silk Cloth, Stranglethorn Vale and Arathi Highlands

Silk Cloth is the first cloth that becomes a serious farming target, as it is used for many tailoring patterns and bags. Stranglethorn Vale is the premier zone, with the Bloodsail Buccaneers along the coast and the Kurzen mobs in the northeast. Arathi Highlands also has the Syndicate mobs at Stromgarde Keep. Drop rate is about 35-40%, and a good route yields 80-100 Silk Cloth per hour. Stacks sell for 8-12 gold.

Mageweave Cloth, Tanaris and Western Plaguelands

Mageweave drops from humanoids level 35-45. Tanaris has the Wastewander bandits in the southern desert, and the Pirates at Steamwheedle Port are excellent for farming. Western Plaguelands has the Scarlet mobs at the Hearthglen area. Drop rate is 30-35%, yielding 60-80 Mageweave per hour. Stacks sell for 10-15 gold.

Runecloth, Winterspring and Eastern Plaguelands

Runecloth is the endgame cloth of Classic, used for high-level tailoring and reputation turn-ins. Winterspring has the Deadwood furbolgs in the northwest, and Eastern Plaguelands has the Plaguebats and various undead humanoids. Drop rate is 25-30%, but mob density is high, so you can farm 100-120 Runecloth per hour. Stacks sell for 15-20 gold. The furbolgs in Winterspring also drop a reputation item that can be turned in for additional rewards.

Burning Crusade, Netherweave Cloth

Netherweave Cloth is the primary cloth of The Burning Crusade, dropping from all humanoids in Outland level 60-70. Unlike Classic cloth, Netherweave is universal, it is used for almost all Outland tailoring patterns, bags, and even some quests. The best farming zones are Hellfire Peninsula (the Fel Orcs at the Pools of Aggonar), Nagrand (the Broken at the Oshu'gun area), and Shadowmoon Valley (the Shadowmoon Orcs at the Eclipse Point).

Drop rate is roughly 30-35% per kill. A well-optimized route in Hellfire Peninsula can yield 150-200 Netherweave Cloth per hour, plus occasional greens and grey items. Stacks of Netherweave sell for 20-30 gold on most realms. The Fel Orcs in Hellfire Peninsula also drop the Fel Armament item, which can be turned in for reputation with Thrallmar or Honor Hold. For more on farming strategies, see our skinning and farming tips.

Wrath of the Lich King, Frostweave Cloth

Frostweave Cloth is the cloth of Northrend, dropping from humanoids level 70-80. It is used for all Wrath tailoring patterns, including the popular Frostweave Bag (22-slot) and the epic crafted gear. The best farming zones are:

  • Howling Fjord: The Vrykul at Utgarde Keep and the surrounding area. Dense packs, fast respawns. 180-220 Frostweave per hour.
  • Dragonblight: The Scarlet Onslaught camp at the Scarlet Point. Humanoids are tightly packed and drop cloth at 30-35% rate.
  • Icecrown: The Scourge humanoids at the Valley of Echoes and the Halls of Reflection area. High density but some elite mobs.
  • The Storm Peaks: The Frost Dwarf camp at the Temple of Storms. Good for solo farming.

Frostweave Cloth stacks sell for 25-40 gold. The best route in Howling Fjord, starting at the Vrykul camp in the northwest and circling through the village, yields consistent returns. At level 80, you can also farm the humanoids in the Pit of Saron (a dungeon) for Frostweave and additional gold from vendor trash.

For those interested in the broader gold-making landscape during Wrath, see our market timing and patch day guide.

Cataclysm, Embersilk Cloth

Embersilk Cloth drops from humanoids level 80-85 in Cataclysm zones. It is used for the Embersilk Bag (22-slot) and various tailoring patterns. The best zones are:

  • Mount Hyjal: The Firelands humanoids at the Sanctuary of Malorne. Dense packs of fire elementals and cultists.
  • Deepholm: The Stone Troggs at the Temple of Earth. High drop rate but some mobs are elite.
  • Twilight Highlands: The Dragonmaw or Wildhammer humanoids at the various camps. Good density and respawns.

Embersilk Cloth stacks sell for 15-25 gold, slightly less than Frostweave due to lower demand. A good route in Mount Hyjal yields 150-180 Embersilk per hour.

Mists of Pandaria, Windwool Cloth

Windwool Cloth drops from humanoids level 85-90 in Pandaria. It is used for the Royal Satchel (28-slot bag) and other tailoring items. The best zones are:

  • Kun-Lai Summit: The Yaungol at the Firebough Nook and the Mogu at the Sra'vess. High density, fast respawns.
  • Valley of the Four Winds: The Mantid at the Niuzao Temple area. Good for solo farming.
  • Dread Wastes: The Mantid at the Klaxxi'vess. Very high density but some mobs are elite.

Windwool Cloth stacks sell for 30-50 gold. A good route in Kun-Lai Summit yields 200-250 Windwool per hour, plus the occasional Golden Lotus (a rare herb) from the mobs.

Warlords of Draenor, Hexweave Cloth

Hexweave Cloth is unique because it is primarily produced through the Tailoring profession building (the Tailoring Emporium) in your garrison, not from farming. However, you can still farm it from humanoids in Draenor, though drop rates are low. The best zone is:

  • Frostfire Ridge: The Gronn and Orcs at the Bloodmaul Slag Mines area. Drop rate is about 10-15%, so farming is not efficient.

Most players rely on the garrison work orders to generate Hexweave Cloth. The Tailoring Emporium (level 2 or 3) produces 6-12 Hexweave Cloth per day per work order, and you can have multiple characters with the building. Stacks sell for 100-150 gold due to low supply.

Legion, Silkweave Cloth

Silkweave Cloth drops from humanoids level 100-110 in the Broken Isles. It is used for the Silkweave Bag (30-slot) and the Imbued Silkweave Bag (32-slot). The best zones are:

  • Azsuna: The Nightborne at the Court of Farondis area. Dense packs, fast respawns.
  • Suramar: The Nightborne at the various vineyards and estates. High density but some mobs are elite.
  • Stormheim: The Vrykul at the Halls of Valor area. Good for farming.

Silkweave Cloth stacks sell for 40-60 gold. A good route in Azsuna yields 200-250 Silkweave per hour. The Suramar route is more profitable but requires careful pulling due to elite mobs. For more on Legion farming, see our herb farming route guide (though it focuses on Dragonflight, the principles apply).

Battle for Azeroth, Tidespray Linen

Tidespray Linen is the cloth of Battle for Azeroth, dropping from humanoids level 110-120 in Kul Tiras and Zandalar. It is used for the Tidespray Linen Bag (30-slot) and the Deep Sea Bag (32-slot). The best zones are:

  • Drustvar: The Drust humanoids at the Gol Inath and the Corlain area. High density, fast respawns.
  • Stormsong Valley: The Quillboar at the Millstone Hamlet area. Very dense packs.
  • Zuldazar: The Zandalari trolls at the Atal'Dazar area and the Dazar'alor outskirts.

Tidespray Linen stacks sell for 30-50 gold. A good route in Drustvar yields 250-300 Tidespray Linen per hour. The Quillboar in Stormsong Valley are particularly good because they drop a lot of grey items that vendor for additional gold.

Shadowlands, Lightless Silk

Lightless Silk drops from humanoids level 50-60 in the Shadowlands. It is used for the Lightless Silk Bag (30-slot) and the Enchanted Lightless Silk Bag (32-slot). The best zones are:

  • Maldraxxus: The Necrolord humanoids at the Theater of Pain and the House of Plagues. Very high density.
  • Ardenweald: The Drust and the faerie humanoids at the Heart of the Forest area.
  • Revendreth: The Venthyr humanoids at the Darkwall Lake and the Sinfall area. Good for farming.

Lightless Silk stacks sell for 50-80 gold. A good route in Maldraxxus yields 300-350 Lightless Silk per hour. The Theater of Pain area is especially good because the mobs respawn quickly and drop a lot of vendor trash. For more on Shadowlands farming, see our ore farming loop guide (the principles of route optimization apply to cloth as well).

Dragonflight, Windwool Cloth? No, It's Silken Cloth

In Dragonflight, the new cloth is called Silken Cloth. It drops from humanoids level 60-70 in the Dragon Isles. It is used for the Silken Cloth Bag (30-slot) and the Enchanted Silken Cloth Bag (32-slot). The best zones are:

  • The Waking Shores: The Dragonmaw Orcs at the Dragonmaw Fortress. Dense packs, fast respawns. 300-400 Silken Cloth per hour.
  • Ohn'ahran Plains: The Centaur at the Maruukai area. Good density, but some mobs are mounted and can be annoying.
  • The Azure Span: The Tuskarr at the Iskaara area and the Gnolls at the Brackenhide Hollow. Gnolls are particularly good because they drop a lot of grey items.
  • Thaldraszus: The Infinite Dragonflight humanoids at the Temporal Conflux area. High density, but some mobs are elite.

Silken Cloth stacks sell for 60-100 gold on most realms. The Dragonmaw Fortress in the Waking Shores is the most popular farming spot because the Orcs are tightly packed, respawn every 2-3 minutes, and drop not only Silken Cloth but also the occasional Dragon Isles rare item (like the Dragon Isles Artifact that vendors for 50 gold). A well-optimized route through the fortress yields 300-400 Silken Cloth per hour, plus 50-100 gold in vendor trash.

For those looking to maximize their gold per hour, consider combining cloth farming with other activities. For example, the Dragonmaw Orcs also drop Dragon Isles Ore and Hochenblume (an herb) at low rates, so you can gather while you farm. Alternatively, you can use the cloth to craft bags and sell them on the auction house for a higher profit margin. See our alchemy transmute profits guide for more on crafting-based gold making.

Tools and Addons for Efficient Farming

To maximize your cloth farming efficiency, use the following addons and tools:

  • Routes: An addon that lets you create and display farming routes on your minimap. You can import routes from websites like The Undermine Journal.
  • FarmHUD: Displays a farming overlay on your screen, showing node locations and respawn timers.
  • GatherMate2: Tracks nodes and mob spawns. Useful for marking humanoid camps.
  • Pawn: Helps you evaluate gear drops to decide whether to vendor, disenchant, or sell on the auction house. For disenchanting strategies, see our enchanting disenchant strategy.
  • WorthIt: Calculates gold per hour based on your current farming data and auction house prices.

Using these addons, you can track your cloth-per-hour and adjust your route to maximize returns. For example, if you find that the Dragonmaw Fortress yields 350 Silken Cloth per hour but the Azure Span Gnolls yield only 250, you can focus on the fortress.

Market Timing and Selling Strategies

Cloth prices fluctuate based on patch cycles, raid releases, and seasonal events. The best time to sell cloth is usually:

  • Patch days: When new content drops, players rush to level tailoring or craft bags, driving up demand. See our market timing and patch day guide.
  • Tuesday and Wednesday: After the weekly reset, many players are leveling professions and buying materials.
  • Weekends: More players are online and crafting, so demand is higher.
  • Before major holidays: Events like Darkmoon Faire or Hallow's End can increase demand for bags and cosmetic items.

If you have a large stockpile of cloth, consider using reset strategies to buy out the competition and relist at a higher price. However, be careful not to overpay, check The Undermine Journal for historical price data before making a move.

Conclusion

Cloth farming remains a reliable and accessible gold-making method across all expansions. From Linen Cloth in Elwynn Forest to Silken Cloth in the Dragon Isles, knowing the best zones and routes can significantly increase your gold per hour. Whether you are a new player or a veteran, these zones offer consistent returns with minimal setup. Combine cloth farming with other activities like gathering or crafting to maximize your profits, and always keep an eye on auction house prices to sell at the right time.

For more gold-making guides, see our complete guide to making gold legitimately in World of Warcraft.

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  • Ore Farming Loop for Shadowlands
  • Skinning and Farming Tips
  • Enchanting and Disenchant Strategy
  • Market Timing and Patch Day Guide