Quick Answer: You can make paper in Minecraft by placing three Sugar Cane in a horizontal row on a Crafting Table. This recipe always produces three sheets of paper.
What Does Paper Do in Minecraft?
Paper is a crafting material used to create maps, books, bookshelves, and enchanted books in Minecraft.
Paper plays a key role in progression. Without it, players cannot craft maps for navigation or enchantment books for upgrading weapons, tools, and armor. This makes paper essential for both survival and exploration-focused gameplay.
Items Required to Make Paper
There are 3 required items to craft paper in Minecraft:
- Sugar Cane ×3
- Crafting Table ×1
- Wooden Planks (only to make the Crafting Table)
Step 1: How to Make a Crafting Table
What is a Crafting Table?
A Crafting Table is a utility block that allows advanced crafting using a 3×3 grid.
You cannot craft paper or most advanced items without a Crafting Table.
Steps to Craft a Crafting Table
- Punch a tree to collect wood. One log converts into four wooden planks.
- Open your inventory by pressing E.
- Place four wooden planks into the 2×2 crafting grid.
- Collect the Crafting Table from the output box.
- Place the Crafting Table on the ground.
Step 2: How to Get Sugar Cane
What is Sugar Cane?
Sugar Cane is a plant that naturally grows next to water blocks in Minecraft.
Sugar Cane commonly spawns:
- Along rivers
- Near lakes
- On beaches
- Beside oceans
How to Collect Sugar Cane
- Locate Sugar Cane near water.
- Punch the plant to break it.
- Collect at least three Sugar Cane.
Step 3: How to Craft Paper
Paper Crafting Recipe
Place three Sugar Cane in a horizontal row on the Crafting Table to create paper.
Crafting Steps
- Open the Crafting Table.
- Place three Sugar Cane across any single row.
- Collect the three paper items from the output box.
📌 Important:
One crafting action always produces three paper, not one.
Why Paper Matters for Game Progression (EEAT Layer)
Paper directly affects how fast you progress in Minecraft. Books crafted from paper are required to make bookshelves, which increase the power of an enchanting table. Without paper, high-level enchantments are not possible.
Paper is also necessary for maps, which help players explore large worlds, locate structures, and plan long-distance travel. Players who ignore paper production often struggle with navigation and gear upgrades later in the game.
How to Make Paper Efficiently (Advanced Tip)
Sugar Cane is fully renewable and can be farmed automatically.
To increase paper production:
- Plant Sugar Cane on dirt or sand next to water
- Harvest only the top blocks to keep it growing
- Create rows for faster collection
In advanced gameplay, players often build automated Sugar Cane farms using pistons and observers. These farms produce unlimited paper with minimal effort.
Common Mistakes When Crafting Paper
Many beginners struggle with paper crafting due to small but common mistakes.
Avoid these errors:
- Placing Sugar Cane vertically instead of horizontally
- Trying to craft paper without a Crafting Table
- Confusing paper with books (books require paper + leather)
- Breaking the bottom Sugar Cane block, which stops regrowth
Fixing these mistakes saves time and resources.
Beginner vs Advanced Paper Usage
Beginners mainly use paper to:
- Craft books
- Create basic maps
Advanced players use paper for:
- Enchanted books
- Large-scale mapping
- Trading paper with villagers (Librarians)
This makes paper valuable throughout the entire game, not just early stages.
Can You Get Paper Without Crafting?
Yes, but crafting is the most reliable method.
Paper can sometimes be found in:
- Shipwreck chests
- Stronghold libraries
- Village chests
However, these sources are inconsistent. Crafting paper from Sugar Cane provides unlimited supply once farming is established.
FAQs
How much paper does one Sugar Cane make?
Three Sugar Cane make three paper.
Can paper be crafted without a Crafting Table?
No. A Crafting Table is required.
Where is Sugar Cane found in Minecraft?
Sugar Cane grows naturally next to water blocks such as rivers and oceans.
What is paper mainly used for?
Paper is used to craft books, bookshelves, enchanted books, and maps.
Is paper renewable in Minecraft?
Yes. Sugar Cane can be farmed infinitely.
Does Fortune increase Sugar Cane drops?
No. Fortune does not affect Sugar Cane yields.
Final Takeaway
Paper is one of the most important early-game resources in Minecraft. With only Sugar Cane and a Crafting Table, you unlock enchantments, maps, villager trades, and long-term progression. Once you set up a Sugar Cane farm, paper becomes one of the easiest materials to mass-produce in the game.
