What materials will you need to make rope?

Can you make rope out of dead plants and bark? If so, then how much of the materials will be needed in order to make a strong rope? Are there any alternatives or better solutions if you don't already have one on deck? What are some of the tools that you will be needing to help you form a rope out of organic materials?

 

The best rope is made from hemp or abaca which grows in the southern part of Luzon island in the Philippines. From what I remember when I was there in the Bicol region, the abaca plant looks like banana plant that has tender stalk and not wood. They strip the stalk to make fiber out of it then dry it under the sun to make the best hemp fiber that they make into Manila Hemp, the best rope before the emergence of the nylon ropes.

But since abaca is quite rare, maybe we can settle for pineapple which has almost the same fibrous blades. Using a knife to make strips out of the blade then dry it so later it can be woven into a rope. I know that pineapple strands are short so we have to tie the ends to make it longer. After weaving and tying, let it dry very well to make it stronger. That would be a good rope, I guess. And why so? Because pineapple strands are used here to make the cloth for Barong Tagalog, it is the counterpart of the coat and tie for formal wear.

 

Thistle stems make a rope very similar to hemp rope!