Origami Paper
Print your own origami paper in exact squares. Choose 15 cm, 6 in, 7.5 cm or 3 in, or type any size from 40 to 190 mm, and the squares are laid out on US Letter or A4 with crop marks: one 15 cm or 6 in square per sheet, six 7.5 cm or 3 in squares. Pick one of 14 patterns we drew ourselves, from solid colours and gradients to dots, stripes, checks, waves, hemp leaf stars, linked circles, hexagons, arrow feathers, scales, blossoms and stars, in 10 colour sets or any three colours you choose. Add a back side, a solid colour, a second pattern or faint fold guides, placed so it lines up when you print two-sided, and print the two-sided test page once to check your printer. Download a PDF, a 300 DPI PNG, an SVG of one square or a seamless SVG tile of the pattern. Nothing is uploaded.
100% private — everything runs in your browser. Everything runs in your browser; nothing is uploaded.
Print at 100% (Actual size) and cut on the crop marks. Thin paper (about 70 to 80 gsm, roughly 19 to 21 lb bond) folds best.
Squares
Pattern
Back of the paper
Cutting
Runs in your browser with our own code: nothing you choose is uploaded, and nothing is saved. Print at 100% (Actual size); with a back side, print two-sided with the same flip setting you chose here. The designs are our own drawings: you may use them and anything you make with them, including things you sell, with no credit needed.
How to print origami paper
- Choose US Letter or A4 and the square size: 15 cm or 6 in for most models, 7.5 cm or 3 in for small ones and modular pieces.
- Pick a pattern, a pattern size and a colour set, or choose your own three colours.
- Choose a back: white, a solid colour, a second pattern or faint fold guides, and your printer’s flip setting.
- Download the PDF and print at 100% (Actual size), two-sided if you added a back.
- Cut on the crop marks with a ruler and craft knife or a paper trimmer, and fold.
What you can use it for
- Practice paper for a first crane, box or star
- Patterned squares for modular origami and kusudama
- Matching paper for gift boxes and envelopes
- Classroom craft sheets in 7.5 cm or 3 in squares
- Double-sided paper for models that show both sides
- Seamless pattern tiles for scrapbooks and backgrounds
Origami paper sizes and how many fit
| Square | In mm | In inches | Per US Letter sheet | Per A4 sheet | Per Letter sheet with bleed | Per A4 sheet with bleed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 cm | 150 mm | 5.91 in | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 6 in | 152.4 mm | 6 in | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 7.5 cm | 75 mm | 2.95 in | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| 3 in | 76.2 mm | 3 in | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
Squares are centred with at least 12 mm clear at every edge of the sheet for crop marks. Without bleed the squares share cut lines; with bleed the pattern runs 2 mm past each cut and the squares are 6 mm apart.
Patterns
| Pattern | Repeats across a 15 cm square (medium size) |
|---|---|
| Solid colour | none |
| Gradient (two colours) | none |
| Dots | 8 |
| Diagonal stripes | 8 |
| Checks | 8 |
| Zigzag | 8 |
| Waves (seigaiha-style fans) | 7 |
| Hemp leaf star (asanoha-style) | 5 |
| Linked circles (shippō-style) | 6 |
| Hexagons (tortoiseshell-style) | 6 |
| Arrow feathers (yagasuri-style) | 6 |
| Scales (triangles) | 8 |
| Blossoms | 5 |
| Stars | 7 |
Every pattern is our own drawing, made of simple vector shapes in the three colours you choose: main, pattern and accent. Small doubles the repeats and Large shows fewer, bigger shapes. Solid colours and gradients have no repeat.
Kami, chiyogami and double-sided paper
| Paper | What it is | How to print it here |
|---|---|---|
| Kami | Thin paper, coloured on one side and white on the other | Any pattern, back set to White |
| Chiyogami-style | Small repeating decorative patterns | Waves, hemp leaf, linked circles, hexagons or arrow feathers |
| Double-sided (duo) | A different colour or pattern on each side | Back set to a solid colour or a second pattern, printed two-sided |
| Practice paper with guides | White paper with the first creases marked | Back set to faint fold guides |
Paper to print on
| Paper | Weight | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Plain printer paper | 70 to 80 gsm (about 19 to 21 lb bond) | Most models, practice, modular units |
| Thin printer paper | 60 to 70 gsm (about 16 to 19 lb bond) | Models with many layers |
| Light card | 120 gsm and up (about 32 lb bond and up) | Boxes and flat shapes with few folds; cracks on sharp creases |
Pound figures are bond weights worked out from grams per square metre (1 lb bond is about 3.76 gsm). Check the heaviest paper your printer takes.
First folds to learn
| Fold | How to make it |
|---|---|
| Valley fold | Fold the paper towards you so the crease sinks like a valley |
| Mountain fold | Fold the paper away from you so the crease stands up like a ridge |
| Corners to the centre | Crease both diagonals, then fold all four corners to the middle |
| Square base | Crease both diagonals and both middle lines, then collapse the square into a smaller square |
| Triangle base | The same creases as the square base, collapsed the other way into a triangle |
Print White with faint fold guides on the back to see the diagonals and middle lines before you fold. For more folding and cutting, try the Paper Airplane Template, the Paper Snowflake Template or the Box Template, and design a larger repeat with the Japanese Pattern Generator.
Printing and cutting tips
- Print at 100% (Actual size); Fit to page shrinks every square.
- Use “Best” print quality for small patterns and dark colours.
- Let dark or full-colour sheets dry for a minute before folding so the ink does not crack.
- Cut on the crop marks with a ruler and craft knife or a paper trimmer, keeping the blade on the mark.
More free tools
Folding, cutting and crafting?
Paper templates and patterns that run privately in your browser, with no sign-up and no watermark.
Frequently asked questions
What size is origami paper?
The most common origami paper is 15 cm (150 mm) square, sold in the US as 6 in (152.4 mm). 7.5 cm and 3 in squares are the usual small size for modular models, and larger squares suit beginners. All four are here, plus any size from 40 to 190 mm.
How do I print origami paper at the right size?
Print the PDF at 100% or Actual size, not Fit to page, which shrinks the squares. Then measure one square: it should match the size you chose. Cut on the crop marks so every square comes out the same size.
What paper should I print origami paper on?
Thin paper folds best. Plain printer paper of about 70 to 80 gsm (roughly 19 to 21 lb bond) holds a crease and works for most models; heavier card cracks on sharp folds. For models with many layers, the thinnest paper your printer takes is best.
Can I print double-sided origami paper?
Yes. Choose a back: a solid colour, a second pattern or faint fold guides. The back of each square is placed where it lands when the sheet turns over on its long or short edge, and runs 1.5 mm past the square so a small shift shows no white edge. Print the two-sided test page once, and if the backs land off, type the gap in Back shift.
What is kami?
Kami is the Japanese word for paper, and in origami it usually means thin paper coloured on one side and white on the other. Choose White for the back to print paper like that.
What is chiyogami?
Chiyogami is Japanese decorative paper printed with small repeating patterns. The waves, hemp leaf, linked circles, hexagons and arrow feathers here are our own drawings in the style of those traditional repeats, in colours you choose.
Why is there white at the edge after cutting?
If your cut lands just outside the pattern, a thin white line shows. Turn on Bleed: the pattern then runs 2 mm past the cut line and the squares are spaced apart, so a cut that is a little off still shows pattern.
Can I use the pattern for something else?
Yes. The SVG of one square and the seamless SVG tile open in vector editors and repeat edge to edge, so you can fill a background or a larger sheet with the same pattern.
Is it free?
Yes. There is no sign-up, no watermark and no limit beyond the size of one batch.
Is anything uploaded?
No. The patterns are drawn by JavaScript in your browser and nothing leaves your device. Nothing is saved when you close the page.