The process of paper making has exited from as least as early as 200 BC in modern-day China.
This was during the Han Dynasty when the first wood fibers were pressed to make a paper. Similar products existed in ancient Egypt, such as the papyrus, but those were completely plan based and were not long lasting or durable.
In the 8th Century, paper making spread from China to the Islamic world and reached Europe in the 11th century.