Raw materials for paper production include wood pulp, recycled paper, and sometimes other fibers like cotton or bamboo. Wood logs are debarked, chipped, and processed to create wood pulp. Recycled paper is sorted and processed to remove contaminants.

If a higher quality or whiter paper is desired, the pulp may go through a bleaching process. Bleaching removes residual lignin and color from the pulp.

The wet paper sheet is passed through rollers that press out more water, reducing moisture content. The partially dewatered sheet is then fed through heated rollers or drying cylinders to remove the remaining water, solidify the fibers, and create a dry paper sheet.