Ropes and cords can be an good barter item during an economic collapse. They are useful for a variety of tasks such as shelter building, tying up bundles, or even helping with some repairs around the house.
Ropes come in different lengths and thicknesses depending on their purpose, so it is important to have a good selection available should you need them.
Additionally, many types of cordage (such as paracord) also contain internal strands that can easily be unraveled for use in other situations making this item incredibly versatile when looking at utility value alone.
Furthermore, if one finds themselves short on cash then trading these items solely based on market demand won’t hurt either since having something everyone needs often translates into higher resale prices down the line.
This is especially true when considering how durable rope-and-cord products tend to be over time compared to more delicate goods like food which quickly degrade after purchase anyway due course rendering them useless shortly thereafter.