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What is U.S. paper money mostly made of?

A dollar bill is 75% cotton and 25% linen, closer to fabric than to paper.

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  1. Cotton and linen ✔
  2. Paper made from wood pulp
  3. Thin plastic

Why: U.S. bills are about three-fourths cotton and one-fourth linen, the same kinds of fibers used in clothes, not wood paper like a notebook. Tiny red and blue threads are mixed in to help stop counterfeiters.

Huh, didn't know that: Tiny red and blue threads are mixed in to help stop counterfeiters.

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If money doesn't grow on trees, then why do banks have branches?
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References

Answer: Cotton and linen. U.S. bills are about three-fourths cotton and one-fourth linen, the same kinds of fibers used in clothes, not wood paper like a notebook. Tiny red and blue threads are mixed in to help stop counterfeiters.

  1. Bureau of Engraving and Printing: How Money Is Made www.bep.gov/currency/how-money-is-made
    U.S. currency paper is composed of 25% linen and 75% cotton, with red and blue fibers distributed randomly throughout to make imitation more difficult.
    Checked 2026-10-09.

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